Prince Harry, Prince William walkabout 'genuine' not PR stunt, says royal aide

The Duke of Sussex and the Prince of Wales showed they were a united family during Queen's funeral, says King Charles III's former butler.

Mourners who were gathered outside Windsor Castle on Sept. 10 were surprised when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle joined Prince William and Kate Middleton for a walkabout. It was the first time the public saw the "Fab Four" together again after Megxit in 2020 and while some claimed it could have just been a PR stunt, a royal staff member said otherwise.

Reports of a rift between the Duke of Sussex and his older brother, now the Prince of Wales, have been ongoing since 2019 when the former told Tom Bradby that they are now on different paths. The tension was allegedly made worse when he and the Duchess of Sussex shared a series of serious allegations against The Firm and a senior royal in their Oprah interview in 2021.

The public has not seen the brothers reunite since unveiling Princess Diana's statue in July last year. The death of Queen Elizabeth II on Sept. 8 ultimately brought them back together and while there were some who claimed the united front was merely for show, Grant Harrold thought it was genuine.

Grant, a former butler to King Charles III, believes that Prince Harry and Prince William showed they were a "united family" when they did the walkabout and walked side by side during their grandmother's funeral. During Prince Philip's funeral in April last year, their cousin Peter Phillips walked between them.

"Things don't just happen. They are always planned. But I don't think this was intentionally planned," he told Insider adding, "It could be short-lived, but the Queen's death brought them together."

He also noted that His Majesty extended an olive branch to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in his first speech as king. The 73-year-old made sure to express his love for the couple as "they continue to build their lives overseas."

Grant also pointed out that King Charles III "acknowledged" Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's "new life in California but made clear they are part of the family. This was his first major statement as king, and he made it clear that even if people don't like Meghan, she is part of the family."