Estranged royal brothers Prince William and Prince Harry “required extended negotiations” before their joint public appearance Saturday to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and greet mourners.
The feuding families put on a united front for a stroll outside Windsor Castle over the weekend, where they thanked crowds for gathering there to offer sympathy and views mounds of bouquets and balloons left there.
However, the show of unity required “extended negotiations behind the scenes beforehand” that delayed their arrival for the walkabout by 45 minutes, according to the Times of London.
Prince William, the newly appointed Prince of Wales and heir to the throne, was the one to extend the olive branch ahead of the reunion.
“The Prince of Wales invited the Duke and Duchess to join him and the Princess of Wales,” a rep for Prince William said in a statement to the outlet.
“The Prince of Wales thought it was an important show of unity at an incredibly difficult time for the family.”
The crowd was delighted at the sight of the two brothers side by side again.
The brothers and their wives, Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle, spent nearly an hour shaking hands, accepting flowers, and speaking at length with royal fans who had waited hours in hopes of catching a glimpse of them.
Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle greet the crowd outside Windsor Castle. Kirsty O'Connor/WPA Pool/Getty Images
Prince William was reportedly the one to extend the olive branch ahead of the reunion. Andrew Couldridge/REUTERSThe reunion came after their father, King Charles III, allegedly banned Markle from joining other family members at the Queen’s bedside in Balmoral before she died Thursday.
Charles “made it very, very clear Meghan would not be welcome,” a royal source told the Sun.
The walkabout was the first time the couples publicly appeared together since Commonwealth Day on March 9 amid their ongoing feud.
