Royal sources claim Prince Harry dined separately from Prince William and King Charles on the night the Queen died, just days before the feuding princes were reunited in a historic show of unity at Windsor Castle.
William and Harry have a well-documented troubled relationship, but the death of their grandmother has meant the rivals have put their differences aside as they join their wives to view the floral tributes left to the late Queen.
But a royal insider told the Chron’s Richard Kay that the warring brothers did not see each other at all in Balmoral on the evening of the Queen’s death – making their demonstration of unity outside the castle even more extraordinary.
Rather than join his father, King Charles III, and his elder brother at Birkhall, Harry stayed at Balmoral with the other children of the Queen. Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and Princess Anne.
“Two dinners were held at the royal estate that evening and there was a clear division: one was for the new king and his heir, the other for the rest of the family,” the source said.
On the historic night the Queen died, with the nation in mourning, Harry raced against time to be at his grandmother’s bedside before she died.
The Duke was due to speak at the Wellchild Awards in London that evening but instead stormed off north of the border amid news of the monarch’s serious health condition.
With sadness on his face, he finally arrived in Balmoral at 7.52pm, more than an hour after the Queen’s death was confirmed in a brief black-boxed note from Buckingham Palace.
A royal source told the Telegraph’s Camilla Tominey that Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales felt “the focus should be solely on this time of deep sorrow and nothing else. The focus should only be on his late grandmother.
Royal sources say Prince William extended an “olive branch at the 11th hour” to his young brother Prince Harry by asking him to join him (pictured) outside Windsor Castle to pay tribute to their beloved grandmother
On the historic night the Queen died, plunging the nation into mourning, the Duke of Sussex raced against time to be at his grandmother’s bedside before she died
The joint royal strike – which took many by surprise – was agreed after 45 minutes of negotiations, according to a source
The fab four reunited in Windsor to mourn the death of the Queen; It was the first time the couples had been together in public since March 2020
The brothers first saw each other when they met again after Prince William extended an olive branch in the form of an 11th-hour text ahead of their carefully choreographed show of unity at Windsor Castle.
Harry swallowed his pride and even agreed to be driven by William while the princes put their differences aside on behalf of their beloved matriarch.
Sources have suggested the historic walk between William and Kate and Meghan and Harry only took place after lengthy negotiations that delayed the Sussexes’ arrival by at least 45 minutes.
In a scene that clearly delighted royal fans, the royals inspected the sea of floral tributes laid just outside Windsor in honor of the beloved monarch.
The couples walked separately, with William and Kate talking to people on one side of the street and Harry and Meghan talking to people across the street.
The surprise appearance is believed to be the first time the two couples have all been in public together since Commonwealth Day on March 9, 2020.
And it’s the first time William and Harry have been spotted in public together since they joined forces to open the memorial honoring their mother, Princess Diana.
A senior palace source said of the meeting: “The Prince of Wales has invited the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to join him and the Princess of Wales earlier.
‘[William] thought it was an important show of unity for the Queen at an incredibly difficult time for the family.
It comes days after King Charles III. Spreading a very public olive branch to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in his first address to Britain and the world as the monarch.
The new monarch said he wanted to “express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives abroad”.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex plunged the monarchy into a crisis in the twilight years of the Queen’s reign after sensationally abandoning their frontline royal duties and moving to California two years ago – a saga bridging the rift between Harry and his brother William, the Royals against the racism allegations and claims that the company did not help a suicidal Meghan.
Following her bombshell interview with US talk show host Oprah Winfrey, Harry appeared on a mental health podcast to hint that his father, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh had all failed as parents – while the family was still mourning Prince Philip’s death for the last year .
Prince Harry became the first king to be swept out of Balmoral by security forces in the back seat of a Range Rover on the morning after the Queen’s death
King Charles III presented an olive branch to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in his first address as monarch
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, at St Paul’s Cathedral in June 2022
It comes as the Duke of Sussex today paid an emotional tribute to his late grandmother, the Queen, as he praised her “sound advice” and “contagious smile” and called her a “guiding compass” through her dedication to service and duty.
In a statement released today, allegedly withheld by a day out of respect for the anniversary of the September 11 attacks, the Duke also said he wanted to honor his father as king at the beginning of his reign.
Harry also referred to his “favorite wife” Meghan Markle; said he was grateful the Queen hugged her “beloved great-grandchildren”; and spoke of how he “appreciated” the time with the 96-year-old.
He said: “By celebrating the life and mourning the loss of my grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, we are all reminded of the compass she was for so many in their commitment to service and duty.
“She was admired and respected around the world. Her unwavering grace and dignity remained true throughout her life and now her eternal legacy.
“Let’s reiterate the words she spoke after the death of her husband, Prince Philip, words that can now bring comfort to all of us: ‘Life, of course, consists of both final goodbyes and first meetings.’
The Duke of Sussex has paid an emotional tribute to his late grandmother, the Queen, as he thanked her for her “sound advice”.
He added: “Grandma, while this final goodbye brings us great sadness, I am forever grateful for all of our first encounters – from my earliest childhood memories of you to your first meeting as my Commander-in-Chief, the first moment you met my beloved wife and hugged your beloved great-grandchildren.
“I cherish those times I shared with you and the many other special moments in between. You are already greatly missed, not only by us but by the whole world.
“And as for the first meetings, we now honor my father in his new role as King Charles III. Thank you for your commitment to service. Thank you for your sound advice.
“Thank you for your contagious smile. We too are smiling knowing that you and grandpa are now reunited and both in peace together.’