Equivariant cohomology of real flag manifolds

Let P=G/K be a semisimple non-compact Riemannian symmetric space, where G=I₀(P) and K=Gp is the stabilizer of p∈P. Let X be an orbit of the (isotropy) representation of K on Tp(P) (X is called a real flag manifold). Let K₀⊂K be the stabilizer of a maximal flat, totally geodesic submanifold of P which contains p. We show that if all the simple root multiplicities of G/K are at least 2 then K₀ is connected and the action of K₀ on X is equivariantly formal. In the case when the multiplicities are equal and at least 2, we will give a purely geometric proof of a formula of Hsiang, Palais and Terng concerning H^∗(X). In particular, this gives a conceptually new proof of Borel's formula for the cohomology ring of an adjoint orbit of a compact Lie group.