Mourning brothers Prince William and Prince Harry today walked together behind the Queen’s coffin in emotional scenes before it was carried into Westminster Abbey by the military bearer party for her state funeral.
The brothers, who again put aside their feud for a united front to remember their late grandmother, walked with King Charles III, Princess Anne and Prince Edward as well as other royals from the Palace of Westminster.
In the second part of the procession, as they entered the Abbey behind the coffin, Harry and William were then also joined by their respective wives – as well as two of William’s children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
At this stage, Charles and Queen Consort Camilla walked immediately behind the Queen’s coffin, followed by Anne, her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, Andrew, Edward and his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex.
Also in this party were William and Kate, while George and Charlotte walked with their parents side-by-side in formation, followed by their uncle and aunt Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and other royal family members.
It marks the fourth time in just over a week that Harry and William have carried out an engagement together, with royal observers hoping that they are making first steps to put their troubled relationship behind them.
The brothers also followed behind the Queen’s coffin for a procession to Westminster Hall last Wednesday; a vigil over the coffin on Saturday; and a walkabout with Kate and Meghan outside Windsor Castle on September 10.
While William and Harry have put aside their disagreements for royal events in recent days, fears over the content of Harry’s upcoming memoir continue to cast a cloud over their relationship – especially following the bombshell interview he and Meghan gave to Oprah Winfrey in March 2021 when they accused an unnamed royal of racism.
Rumours of a rift between the brothers first emerged in 2019 when they divided their households following various disagreements about Harry’s role, but their feud deepened amid the fallout from the Megxit saga in 2020.
But the death of the Queen has seen the rivals shelve their differences, with William and Kate joined in recent days by Harry and Meghan for the first occasions in more than two years since Commonwealth Day in March 2020.
Today, the royal family were among the 2,000 people gathered for the funeral, before a committal service at Windsor Castle. The service follows the Queen’s lying in state period at Westminster Hall, which ended at 6.30am.
The day marks the climax of the biggest security operation the UK has ever seen, surpassing the operation for the Platinum Jubilee weekend and the London 2012 Olympics, which saw up to 10,000 police officers on duty per day.
The King wore the Royal Navy No 1 tailcoat with sword, the collar of the Order of the Garter, Order of the Thistle Sash, Order of Merit neck order, Garter Star and Thistle Star.
He also wore full-size medals including the Queen’s Service Order (New Zealand), Coronation Medal, Silver Jubilee Medal, Golden Jubilee Medal, Diamond Jubilee Medal, Platinum Jubilee Medal and a Naval Long Service Good Conduct (LSGC) (three x Additional Service Bars).
Other medals included Canadian Forces Decoration (three x Additional Service Bars), The New Zealand Commemorative Medal, and The New Zealand Armed Forces Award.
Charles had a six-year military career, mainly flying for the Royal Navy.
The Earl of Wessex wore the Blues Uniform with the rank of Honorary Royal Colonel of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry, with the Garter Star and Sash and the Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) star.
He also wore Silver, Gold, Diamond and Platinum Jubilee Medals, the New Zealand Medal and the Canadian Forces Medal.
Prince Edward did not serve in the military but spent a short time as a Royal Marines officer cadet after leaving university in the 1980s.
The Prince of Wales wore the RAF No 1 uniform with the Garter Sash with RAF Pilot Wings and the Garter Star Chest Order.
He also wore the Gold, Diamond and Platinum Jubilee Medals.
William spent seven years in the military, including more than three years as a search and rescue pilot.
The Princess Royal wore a Royal Navy full ceremonial uniform in the rank of Admiral.
She wore full-size medals including the Queen’s Service Order, Coronation Medal, the Silver, Gold, Diamond and Platinum Jubilee medals, Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Royal Navy), Canadian Forces Decoration, Order of St John Service Medal and New Zealand 1990 Medal.
Anne wore a decoration of a thistle sash and thistle star, as well as the Most Noble Order of the Garter (Garter Star), the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle (Star), and the Royal Victorian Order (Knight Grand Cross).
She did not serve in the military but holds a number of honours and titles.
Prince Andrew and Prince Harry were both again banned from saluting during the procession to the Abbey today – while other royals including King Charles III, Prince William and Princess Anne all performed the gesture.
Members of the Royal Family saluted when the Queen’s coffin was taken into the Abbey. But Andrew and Harry simply stood still because they were not allowed to wear military uniform, as neither are now working royals.
It comes after Harry and Andrew were also prohibited from saluting at the funeral procession to Westminster Hall last Wednesday. Andrew did also not salute at the vigil last Monday in Edinburgh for the same reason.
