Kate’s devastating news about her health in March – following King Charles’s cancer diagnosis, which was announced in January – sent rumours swirling of a potential softening of hearts and thawing in relations

Royal watchers convinced themselves there would be an end to the friction between the Royal Family and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex after both Princess Kate and King Charles revealed their cancer news.

The tensions have been rife within ‘the Firm’ since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down from official duties to start a new life in California. After several bombshell claims about the royal family from the Duke and Duchess over several high-profile interviews, it seemed the family reconnecting was impossible.

Kate’s devastating news about her health in March, following King Charles’s cancer diagnosis, which was announced in January, sent rumours swirling of a potential softening of hearts and thawing in relations, Yahoo! News reports. Harry and Megan’s announcement in 2020 left Royal fans and even the Royal family in shock after everyone was left in the dark.

Some reports suggested King Charles and Prince William were only given 10 minutes notice before the couple confirmed the news with a statement. Once the news had been launched into the world the Royal Family and their advisors got to work to sort out the logistics of what Meghan and Harry’s life going forward would look like.

The expert said the tension in Harry’s body was ‘palpable’ (Image: Getty Images)

After tense meetings and ironing out final plans, a date was agreed on to be the couple’s final royal engagement which was Commonwealth Day. The annual event was always going to be a tense one with emotions still running high between Palace walls and one body language expert claimed the meeting between Kate and Meghan was particularly awkward.

In keeping with tradition, Meghan and Harry arrived at Westminster Abbey before Prince William and Kate as they are less senior and they took their seats in the second row and waited for the senior royals to arrive. Meghan smiled as the family walked in, including her father-in-law King Charles, then the Prince of Wales, before doing a small awkward wave in Kate’s direction.

Speaking at the time, Judi James said the wave was a “rather odd greeting ritual”. She told The Mirror: “It wasn’t the warm reunion that we were all hoping for. The tension in Harry’s body language especially was palpable. When he arrived, the minute he and Meghan had to drop hands, he immediately reached for his wedding ring which is a self-comfort. Even when she was beside him after they had stopped holding hands, he was missing her, needing her support.

“As Harry walked up the aisle, they both waved at the children, but his face otherwise was quite tense and unsmiling. Harry and Meghan looked a lot more genuinely cheerful, and Harry especially, threw a really affectionate smile at Kate. But when it was William, you could see Harry was slightly more rigid and his lips were closed.”