Harry and Meghan’s final official appearance with William and Kate took place at the Commonwealth Day service in March 2020 at Westminster Abbey—the same event where they made their decision to step down as working royals publicly known.

In both interviews and Harry’s memoir Spare, he reflects on the event, describing the atmosphere as “not only cold in appearance but cold in feeling,” highlighting his sense of emotional distance from the rest of the royal family. Body language experts later observed that interactions between the Sussexes and the Cambridges were notably strained, with Kate especially appearing to offer little acknowledgment to Meghan during the procession. Following the service, palace staff moved the Sussexes’ seating to be with the congregation instead of alongside the other senior royals, a change that Harry and Meghan found particularly upsetting.

That morning, amidst all the formality, exposed the emotional divide between the brothers. It marked the last time they all appeared together in official duties, setting the stage for what Harry and Meghan would describe as a “probation” period leading to their eventual permanent exit from royal roles