After what might have transcended into years of estrangement, Prince Harry and members of the Royal Family appear to have put their differences aside. The Duke of Sussex and his wife were spotted in public with the Prince and Princess of Wales shortly after Harry agreed to honor his father. Here are the details.
People worldwide have joined the Royal Family members in mourning Queen Elizabeth II’s death. The royals had rushed to the late monarch’s side shortly before the news broke that she had passed away on September 8, 2022.
The Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, was among the royal family members who hurried to see the Queen as her health worsened. The morning after Queen Elizabeth’s demise, Harry returned to London. However, royal family stans could not get over the drama that could have possibly happened behind closed doors in Balmoral, considering Harry’s relationship with members of the Royal Family.
It was reported that the feud between him and the Royal Family continued during the Duke of Sussex’s stay in Balmoral. Harry was reportedly not invited to dinner With King Charles III and the Prince of Wales on the night Queen Elizabeth passed away.
According to a source, two dinners were held on the royal estate. One was for King Charles and Prince William, while the other was for the rest of the family, including Harry.
However, after that evening, events began to develop lightning fast. After a few years of not speaking to his dad, Harry finally offered the olive branch to King Charles III while paying tribute to his late grandma.
In a statement on the Archewell Foundation website, Harry promised to honor his dad, despite previous claims that the King was responsible for the suffering and pain which forced him to step back from his royal duties. In the Duke of Sussex’s words:
“And as it comes to first meetings, we now honor my father in his new role as King Charles III.”
While it may seem too late to talk about a complete reconciliation, it is not impossible. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be in the UK until Queen Elizabeth’s funeral, and it is likely that their children, Archie and Lilibet, will fly in as well.
Archie and Lilibet Might Attend the Queen’s Funeral
A report suggests that the youngest members of the Sussex family, Harry and Markle’s kids Archie and Lilibet, might be heading across the pond for the Queen’s funeral. The kids reportedly stay with Markle’s mom, Doria Ragland, at their home in Montecito.
This is because Harry and William had put up a united front during Prince Philip’s funeral but immediately returned to being estranged after the occasion.
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Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and their baby son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor meet Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his daughter Thandeka Tutu-Gxashe at the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation during their royal tour of South Africa on September 25, 2019, in Cape Town, South Africa. | Source: Getty Images
But according to the source, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are considering having Ragland fly with her grandkids to the UK.
The speculations about Archie and Lilibet’s travel plans come amid news that Harry and Markle will extend their stay in the UK until after Queen Elizabeth’s funeral. This means that the couple will likely spend more time away from their little kids, hence the speculations. The insider claimed:
“The family has already spent more than a week apart, and the state funeral isn’t for another eight days. Meghan and Harry will stick around until the end of the royal mourning period, which ends seven days after the service.”
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have shown first glimpse of their 2021 Christmas card🎅 How adorable is Lilibet🥺❤️ pic.twitter.com/ncs1VIcuBW
— PrettyLittleThing (@OfficialPLT) December 23, 2021
The source further alleged that Harry and Markle had only planned to be away from home for their mini European tour for seven days.
But things did not go as planned. Nevertheless, the royal family fans would love to see Archie and Lilibet in the UK for the late monarch’s funeral, as they met Queen Elizabeth before her demise.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, pose with their newborn son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor during a photocall in St George’s Hall at Windsor Castle on May 8, 2019, in Windsor, England. | Source: Getty Images
Born in May 2019, Archie first encountered the Queen shortly after his birth, as he was born in the UK. On the other hand, Lilibet met Queen Elizabeth in June 2022, after her first birthday, when the Sussexes flew to the UK to participate in the Queen’s platinum jubilee celebrations.
William Reportedly Extends the Olive Branch to the Sussexes
In the wake of Queen Elizabeth’s death, the Prince and Princess and the Sussexes were reunited publicly for the first time since the latter quit the UK and moved to the US as they carried out a walkabout in Windsor.
William and Kate were already due to meet well-wishers and look at floral tributes laid outside the castle in the Queen’s memory and offered Markle and Harry a last-minute invitation to join them.
Britain’s Prince William, Prince of Wales, Britain’s Catherine, Princess of Wales, Britain’s Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Britain’s Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave at well-wishers on the Long Walk at Windsor Castle on September 10, 2022. | Source: Getty Images
A royal source claimed that William decided to put the months of tension and upset with his brother aside to show unity as they mourned their grandmother.
It was reported that William texted the Duke of Sussex with a proposed time for the walkabout. According to a source, the invitation happened quickly, considering the brothers did not see each other in Scotland. Nevertheless, the source claimed that even though it was sudden, William always had it in mind to extend the olive branch. The source noted (via Daily Mail):
“These coming days will be extremely intense, and getting through them without distraction can only be good.”
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince William, Prince of Wales, and Catherine, Princess of Wales look at floral tributes laid by members of the public on the Long Walk at Windsor Castle on September 10, 2022, in Windsor, England. | Source: Getty Images
Whatever the reason, fans were delighted to see the Sussexes and the Prince and Princess of Wales together. Dressed in all black, the couples arrived together in one car before spending about 40 minutes chatting to waiting fans.
Then, they looked at many tributes, after which the foursome walked off together, while the two brothers got very close in heartwarming scenes. For many, seeing Harry and William working together proved that they had reconciled.
Prince William, Prince of Wales, and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex on the long walk at Windsor Castle on September 10, 2022, in Windsor, England. n September 8, 2022. | Source: Getty Images
Still, the public can only wait till after the Queen’s funeral to see what will become of the brothers’ relationship. This is because Harry and William had put up a united front during Prince Philip’s funeral but immediately returned to being estranged after the occasion.
Nevertheless, seeing Harry and William together is a step in the direction, and hopefully, the brothers will return to being close as they used to be.