14 March 2024 , 10:31
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Prince William and Prince Harry's last outing together was just 'an illusion', a royal correspondent claims he was told by sources close to the Royal Family.
The Windsor walkabout saw the 'Fab Four' unite to watch tributes and greet well-wishers following the Queen's death in September 2022, and it was the last time William and Harry - and Princess Kate and Meghan Markle - appeared in public together.
Bestselling author Robert Jobson claims in his book, Our King, that despite the Sussexes joining the Waleses in what looked like some sort of reconciliation - it was not. He claims it was simply 'an illusion' for the cameras, and was told so by sources close to them.
The 'Fab Four' greeted well-wishers following the Queen's death (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)In his book, Mr Jobson wrote: "Catherine later admitted to a senior royal that, such was the ill feeling between the two couples, the joint walkabout was one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do." While journalist and biographer Omid Scobie tweeted that William had made the decision to go ahead with the walk "in the eleventh hour".
Speaking after the walkabout, a royal source claimed William decided to put months of tension and upset with his brother Harry aside by offering an olive branch to show 'unity' to the public. The source said at the time: "The Prince of Wales thought it was an important show of unity at an incredibly difficult time for the family."
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The warring brothers have had a fractious relationship in recent years, with their sibling rivalry hitting the headlines following Harry and Meghan's exit from the Royal Family in 2020. The couple relocated to the US after stepping down as senior royals, and took part in an explosive tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, where he briefly discussed his bitter relationship with big brother William.
Princes William and Harry are both set to attend a memorial event for their mum Princess Diana today - but won't appear together.
The Prince of Wales is set to give a short speech before a crowd at the Science Museum in London tonight for the annual Diana Legacy Awards as he honours 20 winners - which marks its 25th anniversary. His younger brother the Duke of Sussex will then offer his congratulations, but this will be done virtually from California.
Their paths won't cross at all either, as Harry will appear on a video call with recipients after William has already left, according to reports. The siblings did similar last year when they recorded separate videos to congratulate the winners.
It was originally thought that William and Harry had fallen out over the Duke of Sussex's relationship with Meghan, as Harry recalled he and his brother having a physical altercation at Frogmore Cottage over the former Suits star's behaviour. However, a source recently revealed that the brothers' rift is due to a long-standing row over conservation.
Both William and Harry have followed in their mother Princess Diana's footsteps when it comes to being involved with charities and conservation, but they have had opposing views on how to manage projects that preserve protected species in Africa. According to The Times, William disagreed with his younger brother's approach, and that began the demise of their sibling bond.
"They are both very passionate about saving protected species but didn't always share the same view about how to run projects in Africa," the source claimed last month. It was alleged that while William supports community-led initiatives to help locals preserve the land themselves, Harry prefers an interventionist, hands-on approach.
In his memoir Spare, Harry also revealed he was at odds with his brother's approach, as he said it was inevitable that intervention had to be used to help animals and people co-exist. "Fences are increasingly having to be used to separate the two, and try to keep the peace," he wrote. "Once a fence is up, you are now managing a parcel of land. Different rules have to apply, whether we like it or not."