When Prince William invited the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to go on a brief walkabout outside of Windsor Castle on September 10th, it was a big deal. It was such a big deal that both William and King Charles III wanted credit for it – Charles’s people were briefing the media that he “ordered” William to call Harry and invite him. Meanwhile, William’s people were briefing the media that William alone decided to make the call. For a brief moment, it made William seem diplomatic and conciliatory. It was all for show, of course. It was just a performance for an hour. Nothing substantial changed, but at least we knew that William and Harry could be in the same space briefly without killing each other. Well, Katie Nicholl has some thoughts about that walkabout, what didn’t come next and what it all means.

Queen Elizabeth II’s death was “a missed opportunity” for brothers Prince William and Prince Harry to make peace, says a royal expert.

“I think it’s very sad [that] in the days Harry was here, there was an opportunity given they were just a couple of hundred yards away from each other for a meeting or dinner or gathering of some sort where they could actually just try to thrash things out,” “The New Royals” author Katie Nicholl exclusively tells Page Six.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were in the UK for 11 days after the Queen passed away on Sept. 8 at age 96. During that time, the couple stayed at Frogmore Cottage, not far from Adelaide Cottage where the Prince and Princess of Wales are located.

Nicholl notes that although William “extended the olive branch” by inviting his estranged brother and sister-in-law, Meghan Markle, to join him and wife Kate Middleton on a walkabout outside Windsor Castle, it was not the ice-breaker royal watchers were hoping for.

“When you look closely back on it there’s no real warmth there,” Nicholl opines. “There’s no real coming together, it’s very clear the ‘Fab Four’ are not fab anymore, they were going through the motions. I’ve had it on very good sources that there was no meeting done privately and so yes [there was] a missed opportunity but reflective of how intensely both brothers feel about things.”

Nicholl explains that a détente appears dim as both brothers are digging in their heels.

“William can be very stubborn and hold a grudge,” she says. “Harry is emotional and hotheaded and they’re both very passionate and there’s a lack of understanding on both parts and resentment on both parts and anger on both parts, that hasn’t been able to be placated and worked through.”

[From Page Six]

I actually appreciate the fact that Nicholl says “there’s no real warmth there.” Too many people were like “wow, relations are thawing, maybe something will happen now!” I actually thought William put on a good performance of someone trying to make nice. Harry also made an effort. Meghan seemed terrified that at any moment, William was going to scream at her. And Kate just seemed over it and contemptuous of the whole stunt. Once again, I go back to what Omid Scobie wrote about them just before QEII’s death – Harry wants accountability, William wants an apology. I think it’s more like Harry wants justice and William wants capitulation.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.