In a heart-wrenching moment that underscored the complexities of royal family dynamics, Prince Harry reacted with fury upon learning that Meghan Markle was not welcome at Balmoral during the Queen's final hours.
In September 2022 Harry prepared to travel from London to Scotland to be with his grandmother and he discovered that while the royals gathered for the Queen’s last moments, Meghan was not invited.
Harry had expressed his desire for his wife to accompany him on the journey, but it was his father, Charles, who firmly insisted otherwise.
The Duke recounted the awkward phone call in his memoir, Spare, noting, “He said I was welcome at Balmoral, but he didn't want... her. He started to lay out his reason, which was nonsensical, and disrespectful, and I wasn't having it.”
Harry firmly responded to his father's comments about Meghan, stating, “Don't ever speak about my wife that way… He stammered, apologetic, saying he simply didn't want a lot of people around. No other wives were coming, Kate wasn't coming, he said, therefore Meg shouldn't. Then that's all you needed to say.”
The Queen peacefully passed away at 15:10 on September 8. Of her family, only Charles, Camilla, and Princess Anne were present for her last moments.
Buckingham Palace announced at 12:50 p.m. that Prince William, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, and Sophie had begun their journey to Scotland, but sadly, they arrived at 3:50 p.m., 40 minutes after her death.
Meanwhile, Prince Harry departed Luton airport aboard a private jet around 5:30 p.m. and was still in the air when the announcement of the Queen's death was made at 6:30 p.m.
Harry later claimed that he learned of the Queen's passing by checking the internet while on the plane. He reflected on their last conversation, recalling, “When the plane started to descend I saw that my phone lit up. It was a message from Meg: 'Call me when you get this.' I looked at the BBC website. My grandmother had died. My father was King.”
Once he reached Balmoral, Princess Anne guided him upstairs to “Granny's bedroom” to pay his respects.
The Sussexes stepped back from royal duties in March 2020, relocating to California that summer.
Since their move, their relationship with the royal family has grown increasingly strained, particularly following their interview with Oprah Winfrey, the release of Spare, and their bombshell Netflix documentary.
