Their faces etched with sorrow William and Harry were united in grief, if nothing else
THEIR faces etched with sorrow, Harry and William were united in grief, if nothing else.
Standing guard at the top and tail of their beloved grandmother’s coffin, the brothers performed their solemn duty.
It is right that Harry was allowed to take his rightful place and wear his military uniform for yesterday’s vigil alongside Her Majesty’s coffin — but unless their relationship is cemented, he will soon be back in America.
If ever there was a time for William and Harry to unite, for the sake of the future of the monarchy, it is now.
To keep the new Royal Family stable, having Harry back in the fold would mean when William takes the throne it won’t be overshadowed by their fall out.
In the past few days, King Charles has had the support of siblings Anne, Edward and Andrew.
READ MORE ON QUEEN'S DEATH
When King William goes to the throne, having his brother’s true support — at his side, not hovering in America — would be invaluable.
But is that possible? In the wake of the Queen’s death, Harry has been catapulted back into the fold of the family, and King Charles and Prince William have provided a gigantic olive branch.
I think William has behaved with enormous decency. Harry is sixth in line and has been positioned as such.
But for stability to be forged there has to be compromise from both sides, but mostly from Harry.
Most read in The Sun
When I wrote Harry’s biography in 2018, he told me that one of the reasons he would remain within the Royal Family was because he wanted to help William when the time came that he was on the throne.
He was very strong about that and it stopped him from leaving.
At the time he was thinking of going to Africa to be involved with animals that were in danger of being extinct.
But in four years a lot has happened. He has attacked his family on a public platform and called them trapped.
For that, surely, he needs to apologise before they can move forward.
For Harry to come back, there would need to be a lot of compromise and that’s the one thing he doesn’t seem to want to do.
He would need to change his behaviour; agree not to leak conversations with his family and not use his title for commercial gain; something he did promise the Queen that he wouldn’t do but which has been largely ignored.
He needs to stop the publication of his new book.
It has been postponed until next year but if the brothers — and King Charles — have a chance of a firm future, the manuscript needs to go in the bin.
If Harry won’t listen, I can’t see it working itself out and this fantastic opportunity will be lost forever. It is now or never.
To see the Queen’s grandchildren, and in particular the two brothers, united in their grief at yesterday’s vigil was deeply moving — William at the front, Harry at the back, both alone with their thoughts.
I have no doubt it was difficult for them both and required a lot of effort because of the tension between them.
It was a big step in their relationship, but true unity is still a long way off.
My hope is that these past few days will nudge Harry to feel he wants to be a real brother again, and a part of the family, but like any really deep wound it takes a lot of time to heal.
He can’t pop in and fix things in five minutes; it is something that will need careful attention and lots of conversation.
I am told Harry is homesick and misses family, friends and the military, who he is no longer in close contact with.
He likes being with his wife and two children in America, but I don’t think he actually likes the life there.
Americans are losing interest in them too, because they have little else to talk about apart from groaning about his family and lecturing us on what we should do, without doing it himself.
It doesn’t seem to be everything he hoped for.
Being back home right now could touch his heart and make him want to be involved again. He may be reminiscing and regretting.
Before his mother died, he and William were up in Balmoral.
She rang for a chat and Harry, who was only 12, was playing with his cousins and didn’t really want to chat so got off the phone quite quickly.
Years later Harry told me that he will never forgive himself for that, which was so very sad.
He also left it too late to say goodbye to the Queen. I wonder if it will give him the same “If only” pain, which could be the beginning of him changing his views.
Being at home with his brother and cousins, seeing his family’s young children, may soften Harry and make him realise what he is missing over in America.
For example, at the moment the chances of the young cousins seeing much of each other in the future is small.
A death can waken a person, and Harry may now realise how much he has missed the royal life.
The King and William have done everything they could to make him feel part of the family again, especially allowing him to wear his military uniform.
The last time the brothers appeared together in uniform was at the 2019 Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph in London.
William wore his RAF officer uniform, while Harry wore the British Army’s Blues and Royals dress.
Harry last wore a uniform at the Mountbatten Festival of Music on March 7, 2020 — Royal Marines “mess dress” — in one of his last appearances as a working royal.
After stepping away from royal duties he lost his royal patronages and military titles — and with them the ability to wear ceremonial uniform.
I hope this experience will make Harry see that his family aren’t unpleasant but in fact have tremendous depth and are very loving of one another.
They have given him the most enormous chance and I hope it might offer a new start.
Harry back in the fold could be an asset. Back in 2018 when I did his biography, he was brilliant when he went on engagements, especially if people were mentally or physically unwell.
He had his mother’s intuitive gift for dealing with people who were suffering.
Last Saturday, there was cheering when he and Meghan got out of the car in Windsor with William and Catherine.
He may realise this is his time to return to the job he was once proud of.
I was also told that he used to be the peacemaker in the family and if ever there was an argument, he would come in and help sort it out with humour and his kindness.
But I think he has now changed. Also, very importantly, I don’t think Meghan wants to return.
She wants a global life. The UK seemed much too small for her and I don’t think it will work if they split their time between here and the US.
Once Harry’s great uncle Edward VIII abdicated, he was never invited back.
So he should think carefully about the opportunity he has been offered.
If he dismisses it, it is highly unlikely he will be able to repair their bond.
If Harry won’t apologise for the cruel things he’s said it will be even sadder.
William has been very hurt by the attacks on Catherine.
He has, nonetheless, been dignified in inviting Harry to look at the flowers that well-wishers brought.
Read More on The Sun
But it would take a lot more for him to see today’s rather mixed up Harry as a true confidant.
Luckily, William has a wonderful adviser in his wife, who he can rely on just as King Charles can rely on Camilla.