Harry and Meghan may fly out Archie and Lilibet for Queen’s funeral

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may fly Archie and Lilibet to the UK for the Queen’s funeral, it has been suggested. The US-based Duke and Duchess of Sussex have reportedly confirmed they will be staying in Britain until the end of the royal mourning period, which finishes seven days after the service on September 19.

However, the couple’s children, Archie, three, and Lilibet, one, (pictured) have remained in California with Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, 66, and have already spent more than a week apart from their parents, who were coming to the end of a whirlwind tour in Europe when the Queen died on Thursday.

According to The Telegraph, the Sussexes are now trying to work out whether Doria and the children should fly out to the UK. On Saturday, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess confirmed the couple will stay in the UK for the period of royal mourning, reported The Express.

Meghan and Harry had only expected to be away from their Montecito mansion for seven days for their mini European tour, in which they were supporting various charities close to their hearts. However, the Queen’s death at Balmoral on Thursday, aged 96, pushed them to extend their stay in the UK.

The Duke and Duchess had been due to attend an awards show in London Thursday night, but canceled their appearance as Harry, alongside other royals, raced to be by his grandmother’s side after doctors said they were ‘concerned for her health’. Prince William had flown up on a RAF jet with Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie. But it is understood that they did not reach the Scottish estate before the Queen passed.

Initial reports had said William’s younger brother would also be on board. However, Harry was in mid air when Buckingham Palace announced the death of his beloved grandmother since he flew by private jet from Luton Airport, arriving at Balmoral an hour-and-a-half after the historic statement.

Courtiers issued the declaration at 6:30 p.m. – just over an hour after Prince William and other senior royals (pictured) had arrived to join Charles III at the Queen’s residence. Liz Truss was told at around 4:30 p.m., Downing Street said.

On Saturday evening, Prince William, Kate Middleton, Meghan and Harry made a surprise appearance together at Windsor Castle to inspect the sea of floral tributes laid outside the gates of the Berkshire estate in tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II (pictured). The reunion marks the first time that the two couples have all appeared in public since Commonwealth Day on March 9, 2020, just weeks before the Covid lockdown.

Harry and Meghan, who quit frontline duties two years ago to strike out on their own in California and then levied a series of bombshell allegations against The Firm, held hands as they looked at the tributes, with Harry at one point affectionately putting his hand on Meghan’s back. They were seen pointing at different tributes and discussing them as members of the crowd waved at them.

One well-wisher said: ‘We couldn’t believe it when the gates opened, and we saw William and Harry walk down with Meghan and Kate. I’ll be honest there was a little bit of a groan when Harry and Meghan came down our side, but I passed him a bunch of flowers and he was happy to take them.’

The mourner continued: ‘I’m pleased that they came out together and as a family I’m delighted that they all took the time to come and say hello to the crowds. Sad things like funerals bring families together so I hope that when they get back to California they think long and hard about everything that’s happened.’ Harry only took place after an extended negotiation, which delayed the Sussexes arrival by at least 45 minutes. Pictured: William closely observes tributes left for Queen Elizabeth II on September 10, 2022. 

Royal sources say William attempted to bury the hatchet by extending an ’11th-hour olive branch’ to his younger brother Harry, by asking him to join him on a walkabout outside Windsor Castle following a phone call with his father Charles III. In a scene that clearly delighted royal fans, who had come in their hundreds to the gates of the Windsor estate to mourn the Queen’s death, William and Harry walked out side-by-side with their wives, Kate and Meghan.

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