Meghan Markle spoke with the Queen before Prince Philip's funeral, after physician advised her not to travel with Harry to UK

Meghan Markle reached out to the Queen before Prince Philip's funeral last Saturday

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attends the Sentebale ISPS Handa Polo Cup at the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club on July 26, 2018 in Windsor, England
(Image credit: Anwar Hussein / Contributor via Getty)

Meghan Markle connected with the Queen prior to Prince Philip's funeral last Saturday, according to a royal insider. 

Meghan Markle and the Queen were in touch before Prince Philip's funeral, a royal source has revealed. 

The Duchess of Sussex, who is several months pregnant, made the decision not to join Prince Harry for the UK trip on the advice of her physician. 

She did, however, call the Queen in the run-up to the military funeral service at Windsor Castle last Saturday. The expecting mother reportedly prioritized keeping in contact with both the duke and Her Majesty during the difficult time, despite being physically distant from them.

"Meghan spoke with Harry before his grandfather's funeral," a source told People magazine. "Meghan and Archie also spoke with the Queen earlier this week."

According to the anonymous insider, Prince Harry was worried about being in the UK alone without his wife and their one-year-old baby Archie. Meghan was quick to reassure him that everything would be okay in his absence and called him every day during his trip to check in. 

"Meghan and Harry have been in touch every day," they revealed. "She knows the trip to England has been difficult for Harry. He didn't want to leave Meghan and Archie alone. Meghan has insisted to him every day though that they are fine. She hasn't wanted him to worry." 

On top of stressing about his loved ones in California, Harry was likely nervous about the reunion with the Royal Family after a year apart. 

The visit marked his first face-to-face meeting with Prince William since his US emigration in March 2020, a controversial move that coincided with his withdrawal as a senior royal. 

The brothers' relationship, which was already strained by Harry and Meghan's departure, suffered another blow after the couple's bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey last month. The duke shocked viewers with a number of his claims, including allegations of racism against an unidentified member of the Royal Family. 

The pair seemed to be able to maintain civility at the funeral, walking together in the procession and chatting with each other after the ceremony. They also reportedly headed to Frogmore Cottage that same afternoon, to discuss their differences and work towards a resolution. Harry flew back to California on Tuesday, the day before the Queen's 95th birthday

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.


Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.