Prince William, Prince Harry, Princess Kate, and Duchess Meghan came together at Windsor Castle yesterday to visit with mourners in honor of Queen Elizabeth.
The Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex put aside their private differences to show unity following the monarch's death last Thursday. The joint appearance was reportedly an eleventh-hour decision, with security not expecting both couples, per People.
A Palace spokesperson told BAZAAR.com yesterday, "The Prince of Wales invited the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to join him and the Princess of Wales earlier."
For the walkabout, the princes wore matching navy suits and ties, while their wives were dressed in elegant black dresses and stockings. The foursome took a tour of the tributes to the late monarch, stopping in front of an array of bouquets to read notes left by the public.
They then greeted well-wishers for about 40 minutes, with the royals sharing several sweet interactions as they exchanged condolences. While speaking to kids during the walkabout, Princess Kate shared that her 4-year-old son Prince Louis told her, "At least Grannie is with Great-Grandpa now," per The Sunday Times'royals editor, Roya Nikkhah.
After chatting, hugging and sharing sympathies with members of the public for over 40 minutes, the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have headed back into the Windsor Estate together. Both couples left in the same car, driven by William. pic.twitter.com/V2ettkmKnt
Duchess Meghan also exchanged a warm hug with a 14-year-old girl, who told CNN that she felt compelled that the hug "was the right thing to do."
"We were just waiting for her to come, and she just came near me and asked my name, and how my day was, how long I as waiting," the girl told the outlet. "I asked if she could have a hug, and she hugged me back. It was just quite an amazing moment. I 'm still shaking now."
During an extended walkabout alongside the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex shared sympathetic words with some of the many people gathered at Windsor Castle to pay their respects. pic.twitter.com/K7zGotqtam
"It was quite nice to see William and Kate and Meghan and Harry together," she added. "I just wanted to show her that she's welcome here and wanted to hug her after everything that's happened."
The reunion holds a special significance, as relations have been strained between the royal family and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in recent years. The couple are expected to remain in the U.K. to attend the monarch's funeral on Monday, September 19.
"It's such an extraordinary historical moment and also a deeply personal one for the family that you'd hope and think that all members of the family would unite and support [the King] especially," a palace insider told People. "And perhaps some of those wounds can be healed in the process."