Crowds outside Windsor Castle surprised to greet Prince William, Harry as they mourn Queen Elizabeth II
WINDSOR, England -- There was an incredible show of unity between Prince William and Prince Harry on Saturday as the brothers greeted the crowd outside Windsor Castle with their wives.
As CBS2's Ali Bauman reports, it's said that Queen Elizabeth II was the grandmother for the whole United Kingdom, but of course, she was the grandmother of Prince William and Harry.
As the nation is coming together right now to mourn her, it may have been surprising to some, but really, it was only natural that the queen's grandsons would come together as well.
READ MORE: Prince William and Kate, Prince Harry and Meghan greet sea of mourners at Windsor
For the first time in more than two years, Prince William and Princess Kate publicly reunited with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The brothers walked out of Windsor Castle with their wives and spent time shaking hands among the crowd.
"I'll make sure these flowers get up to the gates, OK?" William told one person.
It was an incredible sight and surprise for almost everyone there.
"It just felt you're part of a special historic moment in my life, in Britain's life," Maria Holmes said.
"I think people are there to make sure they know that they're loved and we're thinking of them, and that's why we're here," London resident Ann Cockerton said.
Fourteen-year-old Amelka Zak was so overcome, she asked to hug Duchess Meghan.
"And I asked her if I could have a hug, and she hugged me back. That was just quite an amazing moment. I'm still shaking now," Amelka said.
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From there, Bauman popped into a London pub, where people were glued to the royal family coverage on TV.
"It's always sad when a funeral brings a troubled family together, but they have," Maria Riley said.
The Riley family drove 50 miles to be there for the day.
"Why was it worth making that trip for you?" Bauman asked.
"To share my feelings with my family and the people of the capital and loads of people down here," Will Riley said.
Will Riley is encouraged by the show of unity from the princes.
"Funerals and deaths bring people together, which is a sad reason for it to happen, but I'm glad there is happiness and people are getting together within our royal family," he said.
They're united in the queen's legacy.
"They have to be stronger now. She was the backbone of the country," London resident Gladys Richardson said.
RELATED STORY: Memorial to Queen Elizabeth II grows outside British consulate in Manhattan as reaction pours in
Over at Buckingham Palace, thousands upon thousands of people descended on the gates Saturday, bringing with them so many flowers, there's barely enough room for them all.
Some scenes from Buckingham Palace on Saturday. @CBSNewYork pic.twitter.com/a1V4qWtLla
— Ali Bauman (@AliBaumanTV) September 10, 2022
"We're amongst friends here. That's the way I think of it," London resident Luke Bennett said.
Bennett believes the unity among the princes is an extension of the whole nation in mourning.
"All they're doing here is uniting behind something with us," he said.
Bauman reports it seems like many more people were at Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace on Saturday compared to Friday, saying the crowds were enormous and she's never seen so many flowers in her life.