Prince Harry is preparing to return to Britain for the first time since leaving the royal post after Prince Philip’s death – but questions remain as to whether Meghan will join him.
Harry’s grandfather’s death comes a few weeks after an interview with Oprah alleging racism in the Royal Family, which aired while Philip was in the hospital.
Sussex, who faced calls to postpone the interview because Philip was not feeling well, accused an unnamed royal, neither the queen nor the duke, of raising concerns about how dark their son Archie’s skin would be. before he was born.
Since then, they have launched a charity, accepted profitable deals with Netflix and Spotify, held public discussions, appeared at Zoom conferences, and on March 7, criticized the Royal Family in a live interview with Oprah. around the world.
Meghan is now pregnant with her second child and is about to give birth sometime in the summer, but has not revealed exactly when. The couple did not comment on any plans to return to the UK.
A source close to the family told DailyMail.com today: “Harry will do his best to return to the UK and be with his family.
“He will want nothing more than to be there for his family and, especially, for his grandmother, in this terrible time.
“Meghan is obviously pregnant, so she’ll have to get advice from her doctors if she’s safe to travel, but I think Harry will definitely leave.”
Harry, Meghan Markle and Prince Philip on Christmas Day 2017. The couple has not been to the UK since March last year
Prince Philip’s death comes just a month after Harry and Meghan gave Oprah an interview in which they claimed racism in the royal family. It was aired when Philip was in the hospital
What kind of reception they will receive after the interview and their extraordinary behavior in the last year is uncertain.
The most damaging statement they made during Oprah’s interview was that someone in the family commented to Harry, expressing “concern” over the tone of his son Archie’s skin. Meghan also suggested that the concern is why Archie will not be given the title of prince.
Harry did not reveal who told her in the family, but Oprah said after the interview that he assured her, outside the room, that she was neither the queen nor Prince Philip.
Meghan also told how she asked for help when she committed suicide, but said the institution did not support her. The queen said that the problems are worrying, but that “some memories may vary”, and the problem is a family one, which will be treated privately.
Harry was due to return to Britain on July 1 to unveil a statue of Diana.
Royal commentators have said they intend to be there, despite Meghan’s impending term and despite the rift between him and William.
It is unclear whether he planned to return in June, when Prince Philip would have turned 100, and when a band of color was planned.
There was enormous criticism that the interview was broadcast on CBS at a time when Prince Philip was seriously ill in hospital. The couple filmed it weeks before.
CBS host Gayle King, who is a close friend of Oprah’s, later claimed that the couple had an emergency plan that if Prince Philip’s condition worsened, the interview would not have been broadcast. TV networks have not confirmed that this is the case.
The interview was sold by CBS to dozens of countries around the world, and CBS paid $ 8 million for it.
The queen said after the interview that the allegations were “worrying” and that she would address them at Buckingham Palace.
While Harry claimed in the interview that he always had a good relationship with the queen, it is not clear what kind of relationship, if any, he now has with Prince William and his father, Prince Charles.
Meghan claimed during the interview that, unlike public reports based on palace sources, she did not make Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, cry in the run-up to her wedding and that Kate was the one who did- she will cry.
She also claimed that she was caught by the “institution” and that she had committed suicide at one point, but that when she sought mental health help, she was told that she could not have it.
The Royal Family did not comment on these allegations.
Buckingham Palace announced the death of Prince Philip just this afternoon – and described the queen’s “deep grief”
The Duke of Edinburgh spent his last days at Windsor Castle with his wife after a 28-night hospital stay, being hospitalized in mid-February for a pre-existing infection and heart condition.
Her Majesty announced the death of her husband at noon, when the Union Flag was lowered half-mast outside Buckingham Palace and in public buildings in Britain and the Commonwealth.
The Royal Family said in a statement: “With deep sorrow, Her Majesty the Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, Her Royal Highness, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
“His Royal Highness died peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle. Additional announcements will be made in due course. The Royal Family joins the people around the world in mourning for his loss. ‘
As with all royal births, marriages and deaths, an announcement announcing Philip’s passing was displayed in front of Buckingham Palace, while mourners are already laying flowers at Windsor Castle, where he is expected to be buried in Frogmore. Gardens, after a small family service at St. George’s Chapel.
A state funeral, which includes a flotilla of boats on the Thames, to mark his life, seems impossible due to covid restrictions, but it is said that the duke did not like the idea, because “he did not want the agitation.” Details will appear in the coming days.
A fragile Philip was last seen leaving the hospital on March 16, and his death plunged the nation and royal family into mourning and ended his service life of Philip in Britain and Elizabeth, the queen who adored him as a teenager. The couple shared their 73rd wedding anniversary in November last year and were to turn 100 on June 10 this year.
The Union flag was lowered to half mast at Buckingham Palace this afternoon, immediately after it was revealed that Prince Philip had died shortly before his 100th birthday.