Prince William, Harry Were 'Arguing' During Fab Four's Walkabout Following Queen Elizabeth's Death, Lip Reader Says

The sight of Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle reuniting outside Windsor Castle in September 2022 following Queen Elizabeth's death remains one of the most memorable moments in recent royal history. While the public viewed the Fab Four's appearance as a show of unity, new reports suggest the atmosphere was far more fraught than it appeared.

Behind the coordinated black attire and shared grief, the brothers were reportedly engaged in a tense exchange during the walkabout. A professional lip reader has analysed footage from the forty-minute outing, claiming that William and Harry were actively 'arguing' throughout.

Fab Four's Tense Moment

Lip reader Nicola Hickling re-examined the walkabout footage for the programme 'Lip-Reading the Royals: What Are They Really Saying?' and identified a series of tense exchanges between the brothers. According to Hickling, as the group approached the gates, William told Middleton: 'Let's move.' When Harry placed a hand on his brother's shoulder, the Prince of Wales turned to him and said: 'Why are we together? This is not the end.'

Hickling said Markle, sensing the tension, intervened with 'Not today', while Middleton reportedly told both men to 'stop arguing.'

A Fractured Reunion

Former royal butler Grant Howard said the Windsor walkabout would have been exceptionally difficult for both brothers. He noted that relations were already severely strained by the time of the Queen's death, and that the Sussexes were regarded as 'outcasts' within royal circles, their relationships with the family 'at an all-time low.'

'It would have been a very difficult decision for them because suddenly they're having to act and to put the best foot forward, and pretend everything's great again,' Howard said.

Royal commentator and Majesty magazine editor-in-chief Ingrid Seward said she had not expected to see the four together at all, given the tensions at the time. On William's remark to his brother, she said: 'We were all very surprised to see them together. William must have meant, this is not the end of our argument, this is not the end of our differences, and I think they were probably on very awkward terms.'

A Rift Years in the Making

According to reports, the friction between the brothers began to surface when Harry started dating Markle. William reportedly counselled his younger brother to slow down in the relationship, advice that Harry is said not to have followed. The rift deepened when the Sussexes stepped back from royal duties and relocated to California, and widened further after their widely reported interview with Oprah Winfrey, their Netflix series 'Harry and Meghan', and Harry's 2023 memoir 'Spare', each of which contained allegations about the royal family.

As of March 2026, the relationship between the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex appears to remain at a standstill. Despite various milestone events, the two are understood not to have engaged in any meaningful private reconciliation. William is said to be focused on his future role as King, while Harry continues his philanthropic work from California, with sources close to both camps offering little indication that the situation is set to change.