With Queen Elizabeth II gone, the House of Windsor turns to a new symbol of the monarchy’s modern future
In September 1997, two young and devastated boys walked behind their mother's coffin while the world watched.
Twenty-five years later, the princes took that same journey side by side as they marched towards Westminster Abbey to farewell their grandmother.
In the decades between the losses of the two most important women in their lives, a chasm has opened up between the brothers.
Prince William, resplendent in his military uniform, stood ready to begin his new life as the heir apparent.
And Prince Harry, dressed in a dark suit, will soon be back in California as he and his wife Meghan attempt to forge a life independent of the House of Windsor.
The young and charismatic couple, once considered central to the monarchy's future existence, broke away amid allegations of racism and bullying.
Harry and Meghan's exit — and their willingness to speak publicly about what triggered it — caused a deep rift between the brothers.
When they buried their grandfather, Prince Philip, almost 18 months ago, a palace aide saw to it that their cousin Peter Philips stood between them.
The public focus remained on the Duke of Edinburgh, and the press were denied a photo of the two stony-faced men in the same frame.
As the brothers were once again thrown together by loss, a different strategy was taken.
The 10-day mourning period for Queen Elizabeth II was bookended with two symbols of family cohesion.
The first came in the form of a photo opportunity: Harry, William and their wives Meghan and Catherine together viewed floral tributes outside Windsor Castle.
And in the end, the brothers and their wives walked into Westminster Abbey together for their grandmother's funeral.
The brief appearance of the two couples mingling with the crowd and inspecting floral tributes last week was a welcome good news story as a nation grieved.
They may no longer be the "Fab Four" as they were once known. But the message to the media, the British people and to the Commonwealth was clear.
Whatever the couples' feelings may be behind the scenes, the palace appears to be very conscious of the scrutiny the family is under and the image they need to present.
As King Charles begins his reign, his family will put on a united front.
That unity, however, was somewhat fractured amid 10 days of media leaks, confusion over protocol and reports of invitations rescinded.
Since the Queen's death, the House of Windsor has been locked in a difficult balancing act.
As they privately mourn a beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, the royal family must continue to carry out their public duties with the eyes of the world on them.
For 10 days, the grand displays of pomp and circumstance — the moving speeches, the choreographed appearances by members of the royal family, and the snippets of heartfelt tributes to their "beloved Grannie" — have captured a nation.
But so too have reports of potential drama and tension in the palace.
First, there was the issue of Prince Harry's uniform, or rather the lack of one.
After inheriting the throne at just 25, Queen Elizabeth II gave a lifetime of service to the job, providing a bedrock of stability for the monarchy as the world shifted around her.
With only working royals allowed to wear military regalia, Prince Harry and Prince Andrew — dressed in their dark morning suits — have stood out from the rest of the family at ceremonial events.
Prince Andrew was eventually offered an exemption to wear his uniform at a special vigil for the Queen, but uncertainty swirled around whether Prince Harry would receive the same offer.
UK tabloids were quick to pick up on the disparity.
"The Duke of Sussex has been denied the chance to wear military uniform as he mourns the Queen, even though his disgraced uncle the Duke of York will be permitted to do so at the lying in state vigil," the UK Independent reported.
Prince Harry was eventually granted the same exemption, wearing his full military uniform on Sunday at a special vigil by the Queen's grandchildren.
But tabloid attention quickly turned elsewhere.
There was speculation about whether Prince Harry's children, Archie and Lilibet, would be given royal titles after Queen Elizabeth II's death.
Then on Saturday, UK tabloids began reporting that Prince Harry and Meghan had been "uninvited" to a state reception at Buckingham Palace with dignitaries, foreign royals and world leaders.
It's hard to sort through fact and fiction, and all of these reports are to be read with a grain of salt.
Prince Harry and Meghan were subjected to brutal tabloid stories as working royals, with their decision to step back regarded by some royal observers as partly due to the intrusive media attention they received.
The pair have also been separately locked in legal battles with UK newspapers, with Meghan winning her lawsuit against the Mail on Sunday earlier this year.
But the reports suggest that as the House of Windsor attempts to present a united front, tensions linger within the family and their aides.
And if any cracks do emerge over the coming weeks and months, it is almost certain a media frenzy will follow.
Meanwhile, amid a looming energy crisis in Britain and with several Commonwealth realms considering their future, King Charles is about to be put to the test.
He'll need a tight circle of supporters around him if he is to achieve the kind of longevity and adoration that his mother experienced.
It wasn't so long ago that William and Kate and Harry and Meghan were seen as the bright future of the monarchy.
Despite their willingness after two contentious years to now appear side by side, it is likely that the "Fab Four" is no more.
Prince Harry and Meghan have given no indication that their future lies anywhere but California.
King Charles still has his eyes on more modern monarchy though.
He reportedly wants a more slimmed-down, low-cost royal family, with less pomp and ceremony.
At its core will be a new foursome: Charles III and Camilla, now the Queen Consort, with William and Catherine, in their new position as Prince and Princess of Wales.
It was this group that often appeared together as Charles assisted his mother with her duties in her final years.
The House of Windsor is both a family and an institution.
As colleagues, Harry and William made progress this week. As brothers, they appear to have a long walk ahead of them.
But in 10 days that were heavy with symbolism, the presence of the littlest royals in the procession conveyed a clear message from the new King.
"Here we have the future line of the monarchy represented with King Charles's two heirs — William and George — and the spare to the heir, Charlotte," said royal commentator Juliet Rieden.
"It's a powerful message to the people that the longevity of the royal family is secure."
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