Will Prince Harry attend Prince Philip's funeral?
Following the death of Prince Philip and in light of the ongoing coronavirus travel restrictions, many people are wondering if Prince Harry will be able to attend the funeral of his grandfather.
On April 9, the royal family shared the sad news that the Duke of Edinburgh had died, two months before his 100th birthday. Buckingham Palace released a statement on their website, saying, "His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle. The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss."
While the day of the funeral and the place where Prince Philip will be buried has been revealed, the final arrangements haven't been confirmed just yet. What is clear, though, is that members of the royal family will be travelling from around the country to attend - with Prince Harry and Meghan possibly flying in from the US.
Will Prince Harry attend Prince Philip's funeral?
Prince Harry is likely to attend Prince Philip's funeral, according to the Press Association. However, he will be subject to the same quarantining rules as other people coming into the country from abroad.
With the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral likely to be approximately one week after his death, according to royal tradition, Prince Harry would need to leave the US as soon as possible. ITV News Royal Editor Chris Ship reported that, in fact, Prince Harry would need to fly into the country from California this weekend (April 10/11) in order to quarantine.
Sources reportedly told the Daily Mirror that Prince Harry has spoken to several members of his family since the news of Prince Philip's death yesterday, including his father Prince Charles and cousins, Beatrice and Eugenie.
"He said he wants to be with everyone and was already making arrangements to come home," one insider said.
GoodtoKnow Newsletter
Parenting advice, hot topics, best buys and family finance tips delivered straight to your inbox.
A palace spokesperson has now confirmed, however, that Meghan Markle won't be joining Prince Harry at the funeral. Meghan, who is expecting a baby girl in the summer, has been advised not to travel overseas by her doctors because she's in the advanced stages of pregnancy.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are currently living the US and haven't been back to the UK since stepping down as senior royals last year.
Buckingham Palace have said that they will announce detailed funeral arrangements soon. A statement on the Royal website currently reads, "During the coronavirus pandemic, and in light of current Government advice and social distancing guidelines, modified Funeral and ceremonial arrangements for His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh are being considered by Her Majesty The Queen. Details will be confirmed in due course."
The couple have paid tribute to Prince Philip via their Archewell website already, removing all functions and replacing them with some words of honour. "In loving memory of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh," the site reads, along with the dates of his life, 1921 to 2021.
A personal note from Harry and Meghan underneath reads, "Thank you for your service...you will be greatly missed."
Grace Walsh is a health and wellbeing writer, working across the subjects of family, relationships, and LGBT topics, as well as sleep and mental health. A digital journalist with over six years experience as a writer and editor for UK publications, Grace is currently Health Editor for womanandhome.com and has also worked with Cosmopolitan, Red, The i Paper, GoodtoKnow, and more. After graduating from the University of Warwick, she started her career writing about the complexities of sex and relationships, before combining personal hobbies with professional and writing about fitness.
-
Princess Diana could be about to spark Prince Harry and Prince William’s reconciliation, with adorable 'saved' childhood memory
The two princes shared an incredibly close bond growing up
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Princess Diana left the bulk of her fortune to sons Prince William and Prince Harry - but there’s one thing from her childhood they’ll never inherit and the real heir is surprising
Princess Diana's two sons inherited a lot of their mother's belongings when she died, but they're set to miss out on one very special item
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Prince Harry’s Father’s Day plans with King Charles revealed as royal expert reminds public that he ‘really does love his father’
Royal fans are keen to know if Prince Harry will reach out to his father to celebrate the day
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet will likely join Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their Nigeria trip next month for this poignant reason
The Sussex family have special ties to the country
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Does Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's new family-friendly Netflix show mean we'll see more of Archie and Lilibet? We share everything we know
Royal fans are hoping to catch a glimpse of the youngsters
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Prince William and Kate Middleton are ‘enthusiastic’ about reconciling with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle - and it’s all for the sake of their children
The Prince and Princess of Wales are reportedly keen to end the royal feud and connect with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Meghan Markle opens up about ‘cruel’ and ‘hateful’ online bullying she experienced throughout her pregnancies - and reveals the one thing that got her through it
Meghan reflected on the struggles she experienced during her pregnancies in an emotional speech at the SXSW festival over the weekend
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet set to benefit massively from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s latest venture - and it proves the couple want the very best future for their children
The royal youngsters aren't the only children whose lives could be changed by the project
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published