An awkward hello and a family farewell
It was the last hurrah that saw two break-away royal brothers barely exchange a word.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s last official royal engagement was always going to make for compelling viewing and yesterday’s Commonwealth Day service did not disappoint – serving up rictus grins, an Indian greeting and even a wardrobe war of sorts. As guests descended on Westminster Abbey for the annual celebration of the 54 Commonwealth states, all eyes were on royals reunited in public for the first time since Harry and Meghan announced they were stepping down eight weeks ago.
Unsurprisingly for a former actress, Suits star Meghan, 38, won the award for best megawatt grin, smiling throughout the hour-long ceremony, which saw her team an emerald green Emilia Wickstead dress with matching pillar box hat.
Sadly, the same could not be said of an often pensive-looking Prince Harry, who appeared somewhat stony-faced, only managing to summon up a smile when spotting children among the 2000-strong congregation.
Dressed in a light blue suit, the lining exactly matched the chartreuse hue of his wife’s designer frock.
According to royal protocol, the Sussexes arrived a few minutes before the more senior Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who recycled the red Catherine
Walker coat she wore on Christmas Day, 2018.
Two Christmases ago, the double act was known as the ‘‘Fab Four’’ but with Harry having done a John Lennon and moved to North America with his own ‘‘Yoko’’, the days of making sweet royal music appeared to be well and truly over.
Despite being just feet apart, they declined to engage each other in conversation, instead only exchanging brief hellos in the pews. – Telegraph Group