William & Harry relive trauma of mother’s funeral with Queen’s coffin walk – but it will help wounds heal, experts say
PRINCES William and Harry today relived the trauma of their mother's funeral - but it will help wounds heal, experts have said.
The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex walked behind the Queen's coffin on Wednesday afternoon in a haunting reminder of Princess Diana's funeral.
The brothers, who have faced years of speculated rifts, were reunited in grief as they stood side-by-side for the royal procession.
Peter Phillips, who separated William and Harry at Prince Philip's funeral, instead took his place on Harry's left to allow the brothers to walk together.
And according to body language expert Judi James, the brothers' mannerisms were a stark reminder of those they held behind their mother's coffin in 1997.
Speaking to The Sun, Judi explained: "William and Harry walked side-by-side behind the coffin with no apparent need to have Peter Philips walk in between them as some kind of buffer, as they did at Philip’s funeral.
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"As a result we saw body language that was so reminiscent of the time when, as young boys, they walked ashen-faced behind their mother’s coffin."
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said William and Harry's early experiences helped them form a "bond" all those years ago.
And he believes their grandmother's passing could begin "the healing of wounds".
He told The Sun: "There has never been a better opportunity to reconcile two feuding brothers than a ceremony such as this.
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"Let the events speak, let their emotions of what they have just experienced speak, and let them learn from the bond they formed from Diana's funeral to begin the healing of wounds.
"What we have experienced, that will I hope give Harry and William a chance to reconcile."
Royal journalist Adam Helliker, added: "To go through that funeral procession would have taken the brothers back 25 years back to the funeral of their mother."
William and Harry today passed thousands of mourners during the sombre 38-minute procession.
The Imperial State Crown glistened on a cushion atop the Royal Standard which draped over Her Majesty's coffin.
King Charles led the Royals - flanked to the left by Princess Anne, the Prince Andrew and then Prince Edward.
At the back was the Princess Royal's husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Lawrence, to his right was Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, the grandson of George V.
And the Earl of Snowdon - son of Princess Margaret, The Queen's sister - to The Duke's right.
Camilla, The Queen Consort, Kate, The Princess of Wales, Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, did not march in the procession.
They instead travelled in cars behind those marching with Kate appearing sombre behind a veil.
The procession travelled from Buckingham Palace and then up The Mall, before moving down Horse Guards Road and past Horse Guards Parade.
It then weaved its way down Whitehall, onto Parliament Square and ended at the Palace of Westminster and Westminster Hall at around 3pm.
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Once The Queen's coffin arrived, the Pall Bearers then carried her into Westminster Hall where tears and raw emotion were expressed by royals as they shared in prayers for the Queen.
Here, the Queen will lie in state until her state funeral on Monday.
