Brothers united in grief and memory but turmoil never far from sight
The Queen's final departure from Buckingham Palace was always going to conjure up comparisons to Princess Diana's funeral procession.
Twenty-five years ago, behind a gun carriage carrying Diana's coffin, Princes William and Harry walked alongside their father Charles, then the Prince of Wales.
Today, in moving scenes, grief drew all three together again.
Prince William and Prince Harry walk behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Getty
William and Harry were just boys in 1997.
Today, as men, they accompanied their father, now a King.
And though the palace might have wished otherwise, the eyes of the world could not help but watch the two brothers closely.
Was there evidence of unity, or perhaps the rift which has driven the two apart in recent years?
On a slow, 38-minute procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, watched by millions worldwide, William and Harry walked stoically together, side-by-side.
But in plain sight, too, were the consequences of Prince Harry and Meghan's acrimonious split from the royal family, and their public attacks on The Firm since.
For the procession, King Charles, Prince William, Princess Anne and Prince Edward had all stepped out in traditional military regalia.
Prince Harry and Prince Andrew did not. Or rather, were not allowed.
Instead, both wore morning suits.
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Queen Elizabeth II's coffin is taken in procession on a Gun Carriage of The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall Getty
Prince Philip, Prince William, Earl Spencer, Prince Harry and then-Prince Charles during the funeral procession for Diana, Princess of Wales. AP
For the Queen's funeral, the palace decided only working members of the royal family who hold military rank could wear their military uniforms.
The rule will surely have rankled Harry, who served in the British Army for 10 years and deployed twice to Afghanistan.
Prince Andrew, who served in the Royal Navy for 22 years, lost his uniform privileges because of his damaging friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and financial settlement to end a civil case.
As the procession edged past The Cenotaph, King Charles, William, Anne and Edward all saluted the iconic London war memorial.
Notably, Prince Harry and Prince Andrew did not.
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Prince Harry and Prince Andrew, both on the outer, did not wear military uniform, and they were also not allowed to salute a war memorial. Getty
Prince William and Prince Harry bow their heads as their mother's coffin is taken out of Westminster Abbey PA/AAP
Both were not allowed to perform a salute, as they weren't wearing military uniform.
All they could do was bow their heads.
Days earlier, crowds who had gathered outside Windsor Castle were surprised to see William, Catherine, Harry and Meghan suddenly together again.
The "Fab Four" arrived in the same car and spent 40 minutes greeting mourners and looking at flowers left for their grandmother.
It was the first time the brothers had been seen alongside one another since last year's funeral of Prince Philip, the Queen's husband.
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Prince William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex aat the vigil for Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall Getty
The mood between the group appeared friendly.
The world's media wondered if a truce had been brokered.
And if a peace had been reached, how long might it last.
The answer to those questions will become clear over the coming months.
READ MORE: Why is Queen Elizabeth II's coffin lined with lead?
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