Kate Middleton's 'hardest' public reunion with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry
Queen Elizabeth II's death in 2022 brought the royals together briefly
In 2022, Kate Middleton, Prince William, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reunited for a tense and emotionally charged public appearance at Windsor Castle.
In the emotional days following Queen Elizabeth II’s death on September 8, 2022, an uneasy reunion played out publicly between two royal couples once affectionately dubbed the “Fab Four”.
Prince William and Kate joined Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for a public walkabout intended to demonstrate a united front during a period of national mourning.
But according to insiders and experts, it was anything but harmonious behind the scenes.
Kate Middleton’s ‘hardest’ reunion with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Royal author Robert Jobson revealed in his 2023 book Our King that despite the outward unity, the reunion was challenging for the Princess of Wales.
“It was merely an illusion. 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,” Robert wrote, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Body language experts also observed Meghan’s noticeable discomfort during the event.
Catherine later admitted to a senior royal that the joint walkabout was one of the hardest things she’d ever had to do.
Judi James, a renowned body language analyst, told Page Six at the time that Meghan “looked like a woman waiting for her cues rather than pushing herself forward”.
She noted clear signs of “inner anxiety,” including frequent hair touching and hesitant movements.
One particularly telling moment occurred when Kate and Meghan briefly made eye contact. Meghan acknowledged with a subtle nod before taking two noticeable steps back, prompting Prince Harry to place a reassuring arm around her.
Judi described the scene to the Daily Mail as “a phenomenal and unexpected display of natural caution and awkwardness”.
She added that “William, with his puffed chest and air of confidence, looked like the leader and instigator”. Meanwhile, Kate appeared distanced and reserved.
Further emphasising the strain, body language analyst Katia Loisal suggested that Kate’s “frosty demeanour” likely impacted Meghan’s confidence.
Speaking to 7News at the time of the reunion, Katie said Kate’s “icy stare” left Meghan “taken aback and uncertain, stepping sideways, orientating her body away from Kate, shifting her weight from foot, her head slightly stooped”.
Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle ‘fallout’
The Windsor Castle walkabout marked the first public appearance together for the couples in over a year. Despite Prince William’s intention to present a united royal family after Queen Elizabeth’s passing, the reality was much more complicated.
The strained dynamics, exacerbated by the Sussexes’ bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, made the encounter particularly difficult.
In December 2022, months after the Queen’s death, Harry and Meghan made more allegations in their Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan.
Then in early 2023, Harry released his tell-all memoir Spare in which he made more allegations about his family. It’s resulted in Harry and Meghan becoming estranged from the royal family.
However, in a recent BBC interview, Prince Harry expressed a desire for reconciliation with his family despite years of allegedly feuding.
“I would love reconciliation with my family,” Harry said. “There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore. Life is precious. I don’t know how much longer my father has,” seemingly referencing the king’s ongoing battle with cancer.
However, given the history of strained relationships, a meaningful reconciliation seems increasingly unlikely.
Read more: Moment Kate Middleton ‘turned away’ amid Queen Camilla’s ‘stern pep talk’ at Trooping the Colour
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