Heartwarming, tear-jerking, triumphant, and beautifully shot—there's no doubt about it. Princess Catherine's three-minute video, which was shared on the Prince and Princess of Wales' social media last week, was a tour de force by all accounts. The video was celebrated across the world, especially by royal fans, who not only appreciated some long-awaited good news about the Princess's condition but also cherished the opportunity to see her, William, and their three children in a more candid light than ever before.
Indeed, we're told it resonated as far as Montecito, California, where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were reportedly relieved to hear about their sister-in-law's improved health. As we've previously reported, the former royals have been forced to wait for updates along with the general public, although Harry has made some efforts to stay informed on royal matters. While the news was a relief for the Sussexes, we're told the video also stirred up some complicated feelings, particularly for Meghan. After all, she has long felt that she and Catherine are held to different standards in the public eye, and the three-minute video seemed to highlight that disparity.
The Wales children have seldom been seen in public with their American cousins, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. But do you remember the first time Archie was seen with his royal cousins in public? Cast your minds back to the summer of 2019. Prince Archie was just two months old, and his father, Prince Harry, was playing in a polo match in Wokingham that July. Harry, Archie, and new mom Meghan were joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales and their eldest children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. The families were pictured enjoying time together in the sunshine. It was the first time royal watchers got to see the newborn with his elder cousins, although we have since learned that George had already met his new family member privately before their sunny day out.
Incredible images from that special meeting captured many sweet moments, one of which featured little Louis being his cheeky self, toddling toward his aunt and baby cousin while wearing Catherine's Ray-Ban sunglasses. Louis then playfully poked his tongue out and waved at his aunt Meghan, who was carrying little Archie. It appeared to be a lovely day for all. Charlotte and George were also seen looking at their new family member, while Harry beamed at Meghan and their baby after the polo match.
This is one of the only times the cousins have spent time together in public, though they likely had a number of private meetings behind closed doors. It’s unclear whether the Wales children have met their youngest cousin, Lilibet. It was reported that the Wales children were invited to her first birthday party at Frogmore Cottage; however, due to the event clashing with Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, they were thought to have missed the occasion.
In her recent film about the end of her chemotherapy, Catherine spoke about how cancer has given her a new perspective on life. What clearly matters most to her now is family—loving and being loved. Perhaps she has persuaded William that life is too short for grudges. After nearly two years of reported no contact between the two embattled royal brothers, the Prince of Wales wished the Duke of Sussex a happy 40th birthday via social media on Sunday, September 15th. No further well wishes or communication have developed from either the sender or the receiver since then.
Amid the flurry of reactions after the message appeared out of nowhere and unexpectedly, many experts cautioned against jumping to conclusions. One royal insider suggested that the message, which was notably absent in 2022 and 2023 (and with no birthday message from Harry to William on his 40th in June of 2022), was likely due to Harry's birthday being a milestone. Despite the toxicity between the brothers, some analysts believe that the monarchy must return to leading by example—and petty feuds do not fit the bill.
"William has so much on his plate, I don’t think he has time to deal with Harry," one royal source said. "But first steps matter, and though the brothers may never be close again, it doesn’t mean the future has to be full of bad blood." As Catherine wisely pointed out, family should always be paramount.
