Prince Harry, Meghan joins William and Kate on Windsor outing

WINDSOR, September 10 (Reuters) – Prince Harry and wife Meghan joined William and Kate on a stroll through the crowds near Windsor Castle on Saturday following the death of their grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, raising the possibility of a rapprochement between siblings.

King Charles’ two sons, who were very close after their mother Diana died in a car crash in Paris in 1997, have fallen in recent years after Harry and Meghan gave up their royal titles to move to the United States.

The couple were in England for a brief visit when the queen, Britain’s longest reigning monarch, died on Thursday.

Like other senior members of the royal family, Harry hastened to be with the queen as her condition worsens at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, and a spokesperson for the heir to the throne said the invitation to march on Windsor had been extended by William.

A royal source described it as an important display of unity at an incredibly difficult time for the family. They got out of the same car, all dressed in black.

During the 40-minute walk near one of the Queen’s favorite English homes, the two couples stopped to read messages left among the flowers and shook hands and chatted with the thousands of people lining up on the Long March.

“I think that really draws a line under what has happened historically and I think there was a really strong sense of unity for the royal family. It was really nice to see,” said Raj Kaur, 41, who was in the crowd. .

At one point Meghan was embraced by a woman in the crowd, while others reached out in the early evening to shake hands and talk to the four royals. Kate and Harry accepted flowers and messages of encouragement from the crowd as William bent slightly to chat with the children.

Royal watchers were looking for signs of a softening between the pomp and ceremony of a period of national mourning and Elizabeth’s state funeral. Read more

On Friday, Charles used his first address to the nation as king to express “his love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives abroad”.

He also granted William and his bride Kate the titles Prince and Princess of Wales previously held by him and his late wife Diana.

William was heard telling a well-meaning person that the days following the queen’s death were “very surreal”.

“We all thought he was invincible,” he said.

When someone else in the crowd asked how their children, George, 9, Charlotte, 7, and Louis, 4, were coping, who had just started a new school the day the queen died, she replied: “The kids are fine, thank you. They’re fine. Ideal for starting new schools while it all happens.” not.”

According to royal rules, the monarch’s descendants are automatically eligible to become princes or princesses of the kingdom, so now that Harry’s father Charles is king, his children Archie 3 and Lilibet can take these titles. Lilibet is named after the queen’s childhood nickname.

It is unclear whether he will receive the titles.

“We are currently focused on the next 10 days. We will update the (royal) website as we receive information,” a spokesperson for Charles told reporters.

Kate Holton and Michael Holden in London and Peter Nicholls and Hanna Rantala in Windsor; Editing by Elizabeth Piper and Mark Potter

Our standards: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.