Kate and Meghan were minutes away from each other as Queen died but worlds apart
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Transcript
00:00 They were just 750 meters apart, but it might as well have been the thousands of miles of the Atlantic which normally separates them.
00:14 For even a tragedy such as this was not going to bridge the gulf between the duchesses.
00:26 As the events of Thursday unfolded, Meghan and Kate never met, despite being within a two-minute walk of each other on the Crown Estate at Windsor.
00:41 "It was a difficult situation," said a senior royal source. "It was always going to be a very hard night and all they could do is be there to support their husbands, if and when they called.
00:58 That was the priority." Meghan and Harry, who had left their children Archie and Lilibet in the US, had been due at the Well Child Awards in London on Thursday night, where the prince was due to talk.
01:16 It was one of several charity events that led them to return to the UK on September 3.
01:28 But after hearing of the Queen's declining health, Harry, 37, cancelled to go to Scotland.
01:40 Meghan is thought to have spent the day and evening alone in Frogmore Cottage, while Kate was with her children at nearby Adelaide Cottage.
01:54 Prince William looked like the leader and instigator as he was joined by his wife Kate Middleton, as well as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for a walkabout in Windsor today, a body language expert claimed, who says there were no signs of affection during the meeting.
02:15 The Prince and Princess of Wales, 40, took to Windsor to inspect the sea of floral tributes laid outside the gates of the Berkshire estate in tribute to the late Queen, who died in Balmoral on Thursday, aged 96.
02:34 During the engagement, they were joined by Prince Harry, 37, and Meghan Markle, 41, marking the first time that the two couples have all appeared in public since Commonwealth Day on March 9, 2020, just weeks before the COVID lockdown.
02:55 The royals, once dubbed the Fab Four, were greeted by applause as they walked along the gates of Windsor Castle together.
03:08 However, all did not appear to be completely well among the feuding couples, who at times appeared uneasy in each other's company.
03:22 The body language expert Judy James told FEMAIL, "This is a phenomenal and unexpected scene that displays some natural caution and awkwardness in the body language, although as a statement of intent it seems choreographed as something of a loving tribute the Queen and in some ways the new King, who took what was maybe the first step in speaking of his love for Harry and Meghan in his recent speech."
03:51 The four line up together to suggest some form of unity and it is William, with his puffed chest and air of confidence, who looks like the leader and instigator.
04:06 Harry performed some clothing touch anxiety rituals but Meghan seems to be on hand to offer comfort, support and encouragement.
04:20 As they walked along the gates of Windsor Castle together, temporarily putting aside the differences sparked by the Sussexes' departure, they appeared to maintain a significant distance from each other.
04:38 The couples only came together briefly at the start and end of the engagement, when they appeared to enter and exit the same vehicle with one another.
04:52 Throughout the rest of the walkabout, which is believed to have lasted some 30 minutes, Prince William and Kate, and Meghan and Harry, appeared to stick to their two couples, perhaps instructed to by their aides, and barely interacted during the somber occasion.
05:12 As the four emerged from their vehicle, the couple did not appear to interact with each other.
05:23 While Kate and William spoke to an unidentified man, thought to be an aide, Harry stepped back towards Meghan, and the pair listened while locked in an embrace, with the Duke's arm around his wife's waist.
05:41 As they started walking, with the two men standing next to each other, while their respective wives flanked them on the outside, William and Harry appeared to engage in a brief chat, as Kate and Meghan looked straight ahead.
06:00 At times, Kate appeared to stand some distance from the group. Kate looks slightly distanced although she is close to William when the couple split slightly, said Judy.
06:16 As they reached the gates, the two couples stopped to look at some of the floral tributes left by well-wishes.
06:28 Harry and Meghan stayed close together, and often if they were separated, were seen reaching for each other to hold hands.
06:41 According to Judy, when the couple clasp hands it is Harry's fingers wiggling downward while Meghan's are curled around his palm, with her thumb gently stroking his hand.
06:57 She performs touches on his back and small strokes and other tie signs and there are some moments when she is the one looking across for communication with William and Kate.
07:12 As the royal started the long walk to Windsor Castle, they split up, each attending to one side of the crowd, which was heard cheering of both the couples.
07:27 Once they finished meeting the public, the four reconvened in front of their vehicles, where they had a brief chat, before getting into their respective cars.
07:42 Describing the overall tone of the meeting, Judy told FEMAIL, "There's no signs of relaxed engagement or even affection here but the fact they are lining up together and communicating again is impressive in itself.
08:01 It's an adult approach from the new Prince of Wales and it could have broken a lot of ice in terms of their body language at the funeral and beyond."
08:15 A Kensington Palace source said that the Prince of Wales invited the Sussexes to join him and the Princess of Wales earlier today.
08:29 At one moment, a small Paddington bear was given to William, which he passed on to an aide.
08:41 He was seen lightly touching Kate's back at one moment as she crouched down again to speak to a child at the front of the gates.
08:54 Kate crouched down at one moment and began speaking to a child who had started to cry.
09:05 The child stopped crying when Kate approached her. One well-wisher who spoke to Harry and Meghan told MAIL Online, "It's lovely to see them both together
09:20 Maybe they can get back to a proper relationship." Lovely Ripple went through the crowd as they approached.
09:32 Hopefully the healing between Harry and his brother can start now. I am just so excited to have seen them both together.
09:46 It's lovely." Today's appearance by the couple followed Prince William sharing a public statement regarding the death of his grandmother.
10:00 In the post, which he shared on Instagram, the royal wrote, "On Thursday, the world lost an extraordinary leader, whose commitment to the country, the realms and the Commonwealth was absolute
10:17 So much will be said in the days ahead about the meaning of her historic reign. I, however, have lost a grandmother
10:31 And while I will grieve her loss, I also feel incredibly grateful. I have had the benefit of the Queen's wisdom and reassurance into my fifth decade
10:46 My wife has had 20 years of her guidance and support. My three children have got to spend holidays with her and create memories that will last their whole lives
11:01 She was by my side at my happiest moments. And she was by my side during the saddest days of my life
11:14 I knew this day would come, but it will be some time before the reality of life without Granny will truly feel real
11:27 I thank her for the kindness she showed my family and me. And I thank her on behalf of my generation for providing an example of service and dignity in public life that was from a different age, but always relevant to us all
11:46 My grandmother famously said that grief was the price we pay for love. All of the sadness we will feel in the coming weeks will be testament to the love we felt for our extraordinary Queen
12:03 I will honour her memory by supporting my father, the King, in every way I can
12:14 It was revealed yesterday that William and Kate will become Prince and Princess of Wales, with King Charles confirming the news in his first televised address to the nation since the death of the Queen
12:31 He said, "Today, I am proud to create [William, Prince of Wales, Tywysig Cymru] the country whose title I have been so greatly privileged to bear during so much of my life and duty
12:49 " With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the centre ground where vital help can be given
13:08 Kate, formerly known as the Duchess of Cambridge, will now hold the titles of the Duchess of Cornwall and the Princess of Wales, the first member of the Royal Family to hold the title since Princess Diana
13:26 However a source said the new Princess of Wales appreciates the history associated with this role but will understandably want to look to the future as she creates her own path
13:42 The royal source said, "The couple are focused on deepening the trust and respect of the people of Wales over time
13:55 The Prince and Princess of Wales will approach their roles in the modest and humble way they've approached their work previously
14:08 Since the 14th century the title of the Princess of Wales has been used by the wives of the Princes of Wales
14:21 It is a courtesy title. Technically, Charles's wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, has been the Princess of Wales until now, but she has used the feminine equivalent of Charles's Duke of Cornwall title, the Duchess of Cornwall
14:41 The Duchess of Cornwall is thought to not use the Princess of Wales title out of respect for Charles's ex-wife Princess Diana, who died in Paris in August 1997
14:57 Grieving Kate was spotted yesterday for the first time since the death of Her Majesty on Thursday
15:09 Hiding her eyes behind dark glasses and wearing black, Kate was spotted driving to pick up her three children from school after their first week at Lambrook near Ascot yesterday afternoon
15:26 The death of their great-grandmother the Queen will be a heavy blow to Prince George, 9, Princess Charlotte, 7, and four-year-old Prince Louis, as they and their parents begin a new life at Adelaide Cottage in the grounds of Windsor Castle, where Her Majesty spent most of the year
15:48 On Tuesday the gang, as they call themselves, chased up the steps of their new prep, prompting beams of delight from William and Kate who held their hands when they arrived
16:04 Within 48 hours the country was in mourning, but the Duchess decided to stay in Windsor to support the children at school as William flew to Aberdeenshire on a raft jet