WINDSOR, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 10: Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince William, Prince of Wales, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex on the long Walk at Windsor Castle on September 10, 2022 in Windsor, England. Crowds have gathered and tributes left at the gates of Windsor Castle to Queen Elizabeth II, who died at Balmoral Castle on 8 September, 2022. (Photo by Kirsty O’Connor – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Since their decision to leave the UK, and simultaneously their roles as senior royals, to relocate to California, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s relationship with Prince William and Kate Middleton specifically has been almost non-existent. 

Despite the Sussexes returning to the country in July to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the foursome spent no time alone together in private, nor did their children interact, seemingly proving the reported ‘royal rift’ between the once close brothers was even worse than the tabloids had imagined.

But it appears the Queen’s death last week may have prompted some kind of move toward reconciliation. After a tense start wherein Harry travelled alone to Balmoral, arriving after the Queen had died and leaving first thing in the morning, reportedly eating alone in a separate area to his father and brother, the Cambridges and the Sussexes made their first joint appearance together over the weekend.

Despite the show of solidarity, apparently, this public outing was specifically made to “focus” the attention away from their family drama and onto the Queen’s passing — and, furthermore, to ensure the focus wouldn’t be on their interactions at the funeral come Monday 16th, according to The Telegraph. Another source told People the moment “was an important show of unity at an incredibly difficult time for the family.”

LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 14: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales walk behind the coffin as they arrive in The Palace of Westminster after the procession for the Lying-in State of Queen Elizabeth II on September 14, 2022 in London, England. Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin is taken in procession on a Gun Carriage of The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall where she will lay in state until the early morning of her funeral. Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III. (Photo by Nariman El-Mofty-WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Now, however, we may be getting somewhere, for real: The Sun reports Prince Harry and Meghan Markle joined Prince William, Kate Middleton, and the rest of the royals for a family dinner at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday night after they received the Queen’s coffin. According to the tabloid, the “intimate dinner” was “a small and private gathering with no pictures released.” 

A source told Daily Mail at the time that “Two dinners were being hosted on the royal estate that night and there was a clear divide: one was for the new king and his heir, the other was for the rest of the family.”

The brothers came together again yesterday to walk behind the Queen’s coffin as it travelled to Westminster Hall, something that likely reminded them of similarly having to walk the route as children behind their mother, Princess Diana’s, coffin, following her tragic death. Here’s hoping bridges are mended during this time.