Princess Kate's little-known gesture to Prince Harry and Meghan after Queen's death

The Prince and Princess of Wales extended an olive branch to Harry and Meghan following the Queen's death - but it didn't signal an attempt at a reconciliation, according to one royal expert.

By the time the late Queen passed away in September 2022, relations between the Sussexes and the rest of the royal family were at an all-time low.

Harry and Meghan had quit royal life and launched a number of public attacks on the monarchy, including their bombshell Oprah interview. (Harry released his tell-all memoir Spare in January 2023, four months after the monarch died). As such, the couple's interactions with the royals were closely monitored as the family came together for a period of mourning.

Author Robert Hardman examined what happened at that time behind closed doors in his book, Charles III: The Inside Story. And he revealed Prince William and Princess Kate's kind gesture to Harry and Meghan. On the day the late Queen's coffin had arrived at Buckingham Palace, the family got together for an "informal" supper, according to Hardman.

"Inside the palace, all the members of the Royal Family were there to welcome the Queen back to royal headquarters for the last time, followed by an informal supper," he wrote. "Afterwards, the Prince and Princess of Wales suggested that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex should attach their car to their police escort for the journey back to Windsor, since they were all going the same way.

"It was only a small gesture (they would not be sharing a car) and nowhere near any sort of reconciliation. However, the late Queen would have approved." Just three days earlier, Prince Harry and Meghan accompanied Prince William and Princess Kate on their walkabout in Windsor where they met with royal well-wishers who had travelled to pay their respects.

It was the first time the two couples had been seen together since the Queen's Platinum Jubilee and the Oprah Winfrey interview. Prince Harry's bitter feud with the Royal Family has left many of his relationships with members of the Firm in tatters. But despite the bitter rift, there is one royal who has reportedly become a key ally for both Harry and Meghan - and is believed to be one of the only ones to visit them at their home in Montecito.

Princess Eugenie has always been close to her older cousin Harry and it is reported that the Sussexes have bought a holiday property in Portugal close to a house owned by Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank. And one royal expert believes Eugenie could prove to be key in encouraging reconciliation between the Sussexes and the rest of the Royal Family. Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told OK!: "Eugenie undoubtedly does have something of a challenge on her hands to maintain good relationships with both Harry and Meghan - and the rest of the Royal Family.

"But I think the King is probably happy that Harry still has at least one royal cousin he clearly trusts, and presumably wants to see more of. The family are all so busy that they don't really see that much of one another." Jennie believes that Eugenie could also prove a useful ally for her uncle King Charles too. She added: "However, I think it's a positive thing that Charles does have someone he can quietly ask about Harry's well-being if he is so inclined. And Harry can presumably gauge the mood of the family via Eugenie. "Any reconciliation – which at this stage still seems unlikely – has to start somewhere and with someone. And that person could possibly be Eugenie… but don't hold your breath."