(London) Prince William, heir to the crown, and his brother Harry, as well as their respective wives Kate and Meghan, created a surprise on Saturday by going to meditate together in memory of the queen, before agreeing a long walkabout near Windsor Castle.
Posted at 4:14 p.m.
Reputedly cold, the two couples dressed in black walked together to the applause of the crowd gathered to honor the memory of Elizabeth II, who died on Thursday.
With this public appearance of the two brothers and their wives, the first since March 9, 2020, those who had for a time been nicknamed “the fantastic four” almost stole the show from the new monarch Charles III, proclaimed king a few hours earlier.
On Saturday evening, the image of the quartet was on the front pages of the main British media, from the BBC to Times passing through the Guardian.
The two couples first gathered in front of the bed of bouquets of flowers deposited by the hundreds, at the gates of Windsor Castle, where the sovereign has lived most of the time, for the past two years.
They then enjoyed a walkabout, descending the famous Long Walk, a long avenue crossing the park which leads to the castle.
William and Kate on one side, Harry and Meghan on the other, they shook hands for more than 40 minutes, talked at length with the crowd and accepted the flowers that were handed to them.
“Can I have a hug? a little girl asked Meghan, who nodded and leaned in to kiss her.
The two couples then left in the same car.
The presence of William and Harry side by side could be the sign of a reconciliation for the two brothers known to be cold since Harry and Meghan announced in 2020 their withdrawal from the monarchy and settled in California.
A year later, the couple revealed in a shock interview on American television that Kate had made Meghan cry and accused the royal family of racism.
“We are really not a racist family”, will then firmly deny William.
According to a royal source quoted by British media, William decided to put the argument aside by inviting Harry and Meghan to join him and his wife for the walkabout in Windsor.
The day before, King Charles III had also seemed to give his youngest son a helping hand by quoting him in his first speech as monarch, sending the couple all his “love as they continue to build their lives abroad”. .
If they appeared together, the two brothers, however, remained distant.