Duchess Catherine isn’t one for a public war of words, and has almost entirely stayed out of the battle between her husband and brother-in-law – even when she was publicly name-checked by Meghan in that Oprah interview!
WATCH: Duchess Catherine reveals who her greatest support has been throughout the pandemic
But New Idea understands Kate was certainly not going to let an opportunity like having Harry at home without Meghan go begging, and used the time to bring the brothers back to speaking terms after more than a year of silent treatment.
“Kate doesn’t say much, but she has a quiet, calm way about her that makes people listen, and she turned that skill on both Harry and William while the family was gathered at Windsor to farewell Prince Philip,” says a source.
Kate, 39, reportedly helped Wills and Harry collaborate on their separate tributes to their grandfather, which were released within 30 minutes of each other. Though different, they were very representative of their personalities.
William took a more serious tone, sharing some words accompanied by a picture of Prince Philip with his son, Prince George. He praised his “extraordinary” grandfather for his lifelong support to the Queen, and pledged to help support her in his absence.
Harry, meanwhile, added a hint of humour to his tribute, declaring that the Duke of Edinburgh was a “master of the barbecue, legend of banter and cheeky right ‘til the end”.
Perhaps most poignant was William revealing Prince Philip shared a special bond with Kate, saying: “I will always be grateful that my wife had so many years to get to know my grandfather and for the kindness he showed her.”
It’s this relationship that has Kate determined to help heal the rift between Harry, 36, and William, 38, after they were left not on speaking terms when Harry stepped back from the royal family and fled to LA with Meghan in 2020.
Like most of the family, Kate – who always had a wonderful, sisterly relationship with Harry – was horrified when the Sussexes badmouthed everyone to Oprah. However, she kept in mind a valuable lesson Philip taught her during their decade-long mentorship – it’s her job to support her husband and play peacemaker in times of family strife.
“Kate never expected to have to follow his advice so soon, but she is so grateful for it,” says the source, adding that Wills and Harry, who walked together behind Philip’s coffin in the funeral procession, reached a reluctant truce, thanks to Kate’s soothing presence.
“But don’t expect it to last much longer than the final church bell,” snipes the source.
“Harry and Wills still have a lot of bad blood to sort through, that’s beyond even Kate. I imagine William is finding it hard to believe things will be any different as soon as Harry gets back to Meghan’s anti-royal influence in California … Time will tell.”
Read this and more in the latest issue of New Idea, out today!
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