Walkabout After Queen’s Death Was The ‘Hardest Thing’ Kate Middleton Has Ever Had To Do
With what a big impact Queen Elizabeth had on the lives of her family, it practically goes without saying that her September 2022 death would be a difficult loss for all of the royals. But according to one royal author, something that happened during this time made the grieving process even harder on her granddaughter-in-law, Kate Middleton, in the days after the Queen’s death, and it involved Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.
Excerpts from royal author Robert Jobson’s upcoming book, Catherine, the Princess of Wales, were published by Newsweek, and in it, he writes about what was happening behind the scenes immediately after the Queen’s death. According to Robert’s sources, Prince William made a snap decision that he and his family needed to present a united front.
“Picking up the phone to Harry, he suggested that they and their wives put on a show of unity for the sake of their late grandmother by viewing the floral tributes at Windsor together. Harry accepted,” Robert writes.
But unfortunately, the tensions were incredibly high between Will and Kate and Harry and Meghan. As Kate reportedly told another member of the family, trying to play nice with the Sussexes under the circumstances was “the hardest thing she’d ever had to do.”
This was the first time that Kate truly had to interact directly with Meghan since she and Harry made their royal exit in early 2020, which may have made it even more awkward for the women to be thrown together like that after Elizabeth’s death.
However, she had been able to chat with Harry at Prince Philip’s funeral the previous year, and the author wrote that went much more smoothly.
“At his funeral, Catherine — exuding poise, calm and regal impregnability — took her place as one of the most senior royal family members, supporting the frail and grieving Queen and comforting Prince Charles,” he writes.
Kate was also the one to try to bring Harry and William back together that day.
“Harry had walked quickly towards Catherine as he left the chapel behind her husband and other family members. Subtly, she increased her pace so they could catch up with William, a few steps ahead,” Robert writes.
He continues, “She then fell back, to allow the brothers to walk next to each other and at least exchange a few words. It gave the public the impression that they were putting on a united front for their late grandfather, a welcome mini-truce in their feud.”
Ultimately, it (obviously) wasn’t enough to end the feud between Will and Harry — and at this point, it seems like it will be hard to ever get these two back to where their brotherly relationship once was.