It was an image few expected to see, but many hoped for: Prince William and Prince Harry together once again; this time, walking side by side behind the Queen's coffin during the procession towards her funeral at Westminster Abbey.
The moment stood in stark contrast to when, during the funeral procession for their grandfather, Prince Phillip, the princes' cousin Peter Phillips walked between them as they escorted the coffin to St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. Even more eerily, the images today mirror the devastating sight of a young Harry and William walking behind Princess Diana's coffin, almost 25 years ago to the day.
The significance of them showing a united front has not gone unnoticed. Last week, they also put on an unexpected display of unity when arriving together to view flowers laid for their grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, with Kate Middleton, the new Princess of Wales, and Meghan Markle in tow.
The brothers, who had not been seen together before the funeral processions since the unveiling of Princess Diana’s statue in July 2021, have been at the centre of a royal rift scandal since November 2018 – a feud Harry seemingly confirmed in an October 2019 interview with ITV's Tom Bradby.
When asked about issues with William, Harry said on his documentary, Harry & Meghan: An African Journey, ‘Part of this role and part of this job, and this family, being under the pressure that it’s under, inevitably, you know, stuff happens. But look, we’re brothers, we’ll always be brothers. And we’re certainly on different paths at the moment, but I’ll always be there for him, as I know he’ll always be there for me.’
It's perhaps no surprise then that after Harry and Meghan stepped back as senior royals a few months later, the rumour mill only began to turn quicker. From subtle snubs to the slamming of phones, titbits of rumoured gossip emerged month after month about escalating tension between the brothers. But like any family, there are certain monumental events that trivialise sibling squabbles, no matter how long-standing or serious they may be. And Queen Elizabeth’s death appears to have done just that for William and Harry.
‘Experiencing such a big loss collectively can mean families are able to bond over their shared feelings and memories,’ explains a spokesperson for Cruse Bereavement Support. ‘Grief can provide a reason to make contact and spend time together as you remember the loved one you all knew.
‘If this loss comes at a time when families are estranged, it can allow for people to come together and reconnect over their shared loss. For some, experiencing the death of someone close can also put everything in their life into perspective and change their outlook. But grief can also tear families apart as there is such heighten emotions - every bereavement is different.’
But when families do reconnect in the shared sense of grief, does it always last? Or, sadly, do those rifts reappear as lives begin to return to normalcy?
‘This is totally dependent on each person and situation of course,’ the grief expert continues. ‘Some may keep this changed sense of perspective indefinitely, whilst others may remember their feelings of anger or upset as their grief becomes less intense.’
One would hope the death of a 70-year monarch and their much loved grandmother will indeed reunite William and Harry indefinitely – at least that’s what royal fans on social media are yearning for.