The Queen shared how she really feels about Meghan missing Prince Philip’s funeral

Sources say Harry and Meghan were in contact with the Queen after Prince Philip’s death

Queen Elizabeth II attends the National Service of Remembrance at The Cenotaph on November 08, 2020 in London, England.
(Image credit: Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage)

Prince Harry flew back to the UK ahead of the upcoming funeral for his grandfather, Prince Philip, in order to quarantine. Meghan Markle was notably absent from her husband’s side and decided to remain in California with their son Archie.

Rather than travel from California to England, Meghan, who is expecting her second child with Harry soon, decided to stay behind after being “advised by her physician not to travel” a palace spokesperson told PEOPLE.

Another source in California added that “It was always a given that Harry would return to England for his grandfather's passing.” That hasn’t stopped the couple from showing their support to the Queen, though, as both Harry and Meghan “were in contact with the Queen” once they heard of Prince Philip's passing.

After learning that Meghan would not be in attendance, sources said, “Meghan expressed condolences. The Queen understands why she can't travel at the moment.”

The funeral service is set to take place at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. Until then, Harry has been isolating in his and Meghan’s former Windsor home, Frogmore Cottage, as a safety precaution due to the travel guidelines set in place during the ongoing pandemic.

While social gathering restrictions will prevent people from gathering in close proximity, the funeral will still offer a reunion for some of the Royal Family members. Harry and Prince William, in particular, have been separated since Harry moved to the US with his wife. The funeral will be the first time the brothers have seen one another since Harry's tell-all interview with Oprah. 

Rylee Johnston

Rylee is a U.S. news writer who previously worked for woman&home and My Imperfect Life covering lifestyle, celebrity, and fashion news. Before joining woman&home and My Imperfect Life, Rylee studied journalism at Hofstra University where she explored her interests in world politics and magazine writing. From there, she dabbled in freelance writing covering fashion and beauty e-commerce for outlets such as the TODAY show, American Spa Magazine, First for Women, and Woman’s World.