BY JENNY BOND

Former BBC Royal Correspondent

brothers were woken in the early hours to be told that their mother had died in a car crash in Paris, the death of their beloved granny would make them see beyond the rift between them?

Surely it must have re-awoken the memories of those dark days when, as the new Prince of Wales said in his tribute yesterday, their grandmother had been there in the saddest of times as well as the happiest.

Last night it seemed that progress had been made. The four had not been seen together since the Commonwealth

Day Service at Westminster Abbey more than two years ago.

That appearance had heralded Harry and Meghan’s exit as working royals. Now it is our new King Charles who has made the first move to reconcile the sons he loves so dearly. In his televised broadcast as Monarch on Friday, he spoke affectionately of William and Catherine, but he then made a point of extending his love to both Harry and Meghan as they “build their new life overseas”.

It was an olive branch which, it would seem, both Harry and William recognised.

The path ahead is still strewn with obstacles. There is deep mistrust and suspicion about what Harry has written in his memoir, due out this autumn.

The concern that anything that is said confidentially may subsequently appear in a podcast or broadcast as a result of the Sussexes’ deals with Netflix and Spotify remains as pertinent as ever.

But last night marked a significant turning point.

The four of them can at least put on a show of unity when it is needed, they can act with decorum and dignity.

There is a long way to go. But their grandmother would surely be relieved and proud.