It was the moment they had been officially planning for four years, and last week Prince William and Prince Harry finally stood side by side and unveiled the statue they’d commissioned of Princess Diana to mark what would have been her 60th birthday on 1 July.
But in recent months, royal fans had begun to doubt whether the brothers would both even make it to the unveiling, following reports that they’ve barely been on speaking terms since Harry and wife Meghan started speaking out publicly against the royals. So, to actually see William and Harry put on a united front last week and stand shoulder-to-shoulder, at Kensington’s Sunken Garden before revealing the statue and saying in a joint statement, “Every day, we wish she were still with us,” was enormously moving.
And according to insiders, we weren’t the only ones who were delighted. We’re told that, while Meghan was initially reluctant to see Harry head back to the UK – as she feared his family might make him regret the showbiz path they’ve forged in the States – she’s now had a change of heart and is completely on board when it comes to a full reconciliation. And it’s all down to a very special invitation from the Queen that’s hanging in the balance.
“The Queen has extended a massive olive branch by inviting the Sussexes to her Platinum Jubilee celebrations,” says an insider close to Harry and Meghan, who are reportedly planning to attend Trooping the Colour, the Queen’s official birthday parade, in June 2022.
“This is actually a stroke of genius on the royals’ part as it means they now need to bite their tongues and turn down any tell-all chats. They have been given this final chance to be included in festivities, which is a great honour, provided they behave themselves and play nice.”
CHECK OUT Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's relationship timeline
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's relationship timeline
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle met in London in July 2016.
2 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
They were introduced by mutual friend Markus Anderson, who is the director of Soho House.
3 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In October 2016, the Express became the first newspaper to publish news that Prince Harry had a new girlfriend.
4 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
On November 8th 2016, Kensington Palace released an unprecedented statement which referring to Markle as Harry's girlfriend for the first time.
5 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In the statement, Prince Harry condemned the 'wave of abuse and harrassment' faced by Markle, saying that he was 'worried about Ms. Markle's safety and is deeply disappointed that he has not been able to protect her.'
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'It is not right that a few months into a relationship with him that Ms. Markle should be subjected to such a storm,' the statement continued.
7 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple were papped together for the first time in December 2016, shopping for a Christmas tree in London at the Pines and Needles store.
8 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Later that week, they were seen on London's West End, catching a performance of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
9 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In February, Prince Harry wore a his 'n' hers bracelet on the cover of Town & Country magazine, just weeks after Markle was pictured wearing the same one on Instagram.
10 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In March 2017, Meghan joined Prince Harry in the Caribbean for the wedding of his friend's Tom 'Skippy' Inskip and Lara Hughes-Young.
11 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
It was the first time that Markle accompanied Harry to a wedding, marking another milestone occasion for the couple.
12 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The first public event attended by the couple was the polo at Coworth Park in May 2017.
13 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Later in May, Markle attended the party portion of Pippa Middleton's wedding to James Middelton.
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Prince Harry was seen driving her to the event after the church ceremony.
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The couple were photographed together the following day at the wheelchair tennis.
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The couple 'broke with royal protocol' by holding hands and appearing affectionate while at the Invictus Games.
17 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Meghan referred to Harry as her boyfriend numerous times, saying: 'We're a couple. We're in love. I'm sure there will be a time when we will have to come forward and present ourselves and have stories to tell, but I hope what people understand is that this is our time.'
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In early November 2017, it was reported that Meghan Markle was leaving Suits after seven series.
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Much was made of Markle's choice of outfit: ripped jeans and a white blouse called 'The Husband'.
20 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Although Prince Harry was sat next to First Lady Melania Trump at the event, rather than his girlfriend, she was only seated a few rows behind him.
21 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple made their first official public appearance in September, when Markle attended the opening of Prince Harry's Invictus Games.
22 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In mid-November 2017, bookies suspending betting on an impending royal engagement, as speculation grew that an announcement was about to be made.
23 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
On November 27th 2017, Prince Charles announced the engagement of his younger son Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after 15 months of dating.
24 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple later appeared at a photocall, with Markle wearing a white dress coat by Canadian brand Line The Label. The website has subsequently crashed.
25 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The engagement ring, by Cleave and Company, was reportedly designed by Prince Harry himself, using two stones that belonged to Princess Diana.
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When asked by waiting photographers if the proposal was romantic, Harry joked 'of course!'
27 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple indulged in some PDA at the closing ceremony.
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Meghan wore a maroon midi dress with a pleated chiffon skirt by one of her favourite Canadian brands Aritzia.
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She teamed it with a matching burgundy biker jacket by Mackage.
30 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Prince Harry reportedly spent time with Meghan's mother Doria while at the Games too.
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Prince Harry was photographed kissing Meghan.
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In late September 2017, it was reported that Meghan had met the Queen, prompting speculation that the relationship was getting serious.
While it’s not yet known – or reportedly even decided – if Harry and Meghan will appear on the palace balcony beside the Queen and other family members, insiders suggest it might just be limited to working royals, which would rule them out.
Meanwhile, Harry and Meghan’s recent outbursts against the royals, accusing them of “neglect” and also insisting that Prince Charles had “cut [them] off financially”, despite reports to the contrary, previously sparked speculation that they wouldn’t be included at all in the Queen’s Jubilee plans. But, as heat has told you, Meghan’s been making concerted efforts to build bridges with her in-laws and win them round.
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After all, she and Harry may have an increasingly powerful Stateside brand, which includes multimillion dollar Netflix and Spotify deals, but it’s all based around their titles as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. It is claimed that, while Meghan ultimately wants Harry to be happily reunited with his family on a personal level, this is also very much about business.
“Meghan’s official stance is that neither she nor Harry will ever be silenced again,” says our source. “But while that’s still technically true, there’s a lot more at stake now that they have this invitation hanging over their heads. The bottom line is that they have this opportunity to build bridges and prove over a sustained period that they’re able to compromise and not keep slamming the royals. But it’s pretty obvious that if there are any more outbursts between now and then, the invitation will be taken away. The ball’s now firmly in Harry and Meghan’s court.”
Read more in the latest issue of heat magazine – OUT NOW.