The date of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's 'clearing the air' meetings with the Queen and Prince Charles brought an extra significance to discussions, a royal source claims.
The couple made a secret trip to Windsor on route to The Hague for the Invictus Games, which kick off on Saturday.
While the meetings took place away from the eyes and ears of aides and the media, an insider says the fact it took place during the Easter period speaks volumes.
They told The Mirror: "Her Majesty and Prince Charles, as devoutly religious people, understand the added significance of the family being brought together at this time.
"The Easter period and indeed Maundy Thursday is a period of togetherness and forgiveness and that is very much the collective wish moving forward."
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Meghan and Harry are believed to have landed in the UK on Wednesday before heading to separate chats with the Duke's father and grandmother in Windsor.
They were spotted by stunned members of the public who were in the castle's grounds for the traditional Maundy Thursday church service.
The Queen pulled out of the event and asked Charles and Camilla to attend in her place.
The Sussexes waved and smiled when they were spotted, with one onlooker saying: "I couldn’t believe it when I saw who it was."
It's the first time Meghan has returned to the UK since quitting the royal family in 2020.
She hasn't seen any of her in-laws since her bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which she claimed someone had asked questions about Archie's skin tone and said she had suicidal thoughts during her time in The Firm.
Despite meeting Charles and the Queen, the couple didn't have a chance to catch up with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
The source says William and Kate couldn't attend as they're enjoying a skiing holiday with their children George, Charlotte and Louis.
But royal expert Robert Jobson believes their absence is significant.
He told the Mirror: "Significantly, Prince William and Catherine were not involved in these ‘clear the air’ chats.
"For William to do that, however, Harry will have to show that he (and his team of PR image gurus and advisers) can keep their counsel at this early and delicate stage.
"If not, this promising development would all have been for nothing."
