Prince Harry and Meghan Markle join Prince William and Kate Middleton to meet mourners at Windsor

Members of the public gathering outside Windsor Castle this afternoon to mourn the Queen were greeted by Prince William and Kate Middleton who were joined by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The foursome – who have been hit with rift rumours in recent years – came together to meet crowds as they mourned the loss of Her Majesty, who passed away last week at the age of 96.

The newly appointed Prince and Princess of Wales arrived in Windsor – where a crowd has been amassing since news of the Queen's death was announced on 8 September – alongside the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who had travelled to the UK from Germany amid the Queen's declining health.

The moment marked the foursome's first public appearance as a group since the Queen's passing and, as is tradition during a period of national mourning, both the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were dressed in all black.

Upon the royals' arrival, the crowd remained silent in honour of Her Majesty, but soon an eruption of applause and cheering could be heard. Prince William, Prince Harry and their respective wives looked through the poignant tributes – including flowers, cards and teddy bears – left by mourners. They also took a moment to speak with members of the public, sharing a moment of grief over the loss of Britain's longest-serving sovereign.

"We came to lay flowers and got wind there might be a visitor so we staked out our spot – oh it was worth it," Amanda Goldsmith – a member of the public who was paying her respects in Windsor – told the BBC. "I shook William and Catherine’s hands. She is so beautiful and was lovely. She spoke to me for ages. I told them I was sorry for their loss and she said 'it’s just not the same at the castle without the Queen'."

Amanda went on to reveal that Prince William had said the tributes left for his grandmother were "amazing". After greeting dozens of well-wishers, the foursome departed Windsor, although it's unclear where they were headed.

Earlier today, Prince William shared a touching tribute to Her Majesty, telling his 14.2 million Instagram followers: "I knew this day would come, but it will be some time before the reality of life without Grannie will feel real."

Our thoughts remain with the Royal Family at this emotional time.

Jade Biggs

Freelance Writer

Jade Biggs (she/her) is one of Cosmopolitan UK's freelance writers, working across all sections including entertainment, beauty, body, and sex and relationships. She previously held the position of Features Writer, covering everything from breaking news and the latest royal gossip, to the health and fitness trends taking over your TikTok feed. Jade has a degree in journalism and has been a journalist and content editor for ten years, interviewing leading researchers, high-profile influencers, and industry experts in that time. She is a cat mom to four fur babies and is obsessed with Drag Race, bottomless brunches, and wearing clothes only suitable for Bratz dolls. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.