Prince Harry will return to UK for Prince Philip’s funeral

Buckingham Palace has confirmed Prince Harry will return to the UK for Prince Philip’s funeral while a decision has also been made on whether Meghan Markle will attend.

Prince Harry will make an emotional dash from California to attend his grandfather’s funeral, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.

However, Meghan, 39, has been advised to stay at home by her doctor because she is in the late stages of pregnancy.

Prince Philip’s fuss-free funeral has been scheduled for midnight on Saturday, April 17 Australian time inside the grounds of Windsor Castle.

“The Duke of Sussex (Prince Harry) is planning to travel (to the UK), the Duchess of Sussex has been told not to travel by her physician,” a Buckingham Palace spokesman said.

“The duke will be attending.”

Prince Philip’s coffin will be taken in a specially modified Land Rover from the State Entrance of Windsor Castle to St George’s Chapel for the service.

All buildings are within the castle walls.

Prince Harry will return to the UK for Prince Philip’s funeral. Picture: Getty Images

Members of the Royal Family, including Prince Charles, 72, will follow the coffin.

But Buckingham Palace would not reveal which other members of the royal family would join the procession.

Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Prince William, 38, and Prince Harry, 36, walked behind Princess Diana’s coffin in 1997.

That photograph has become one of the most poignant images of that tragic day.

There will be a national minute’s silence in Britain at the start of the funeral, which starts at 3pm local time.

Up to 30 guests are allowed at funerals in the UK under current coronavirus restrictions, but military staff and religious ministers will be considered as working so will not be included in those numbers.

Full details of who will attend, including whether Prince Philip’s grandchildren and great grandchildren would be included, were expected to be revealed later this week.

Prince Harry will have to travel to Britain within the next 48 hours to fall within COVID-19 travel rules.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with Prince Philip on Christmas Day in 2017. Picture: AFP

He would be allowed out of quarantine following five days of isolation instead of 10 with an additional negative test.

That means he would have to arrive in Britain no later than Monday, unless he was given dispensation to attend the funeral on compassionate grounds.

The Queen and other mourners may be required to wear masks during the funeral to meet COVID rules.

There remain questions about whether the Queen will have to be two metres apart from her family during the service.

Mourners had been banned from hugging at funerals at the height of the UK lockdown.

The Queen has had two doses of a coronavirus vaccine and attended a ceremony without a mask last month.

Prince Harry with his grandparents during a service for her 80th birthday in 2006. Picture: Supplied

And while Prince Philip, who died 62 days short of his 100th birthday, shunned a State Funeral because he did not want pomp and ceremony for his farewell, it will be televised globally.

The Duke of Edinburgh personally chose a Land Rover to take him to his final resting place, with a second Land Rover also in the procession.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman confirmed that he had a hand in the design of the modified vehicle.

All the funeral plans had been signed off by the duke several years ago, however they have been modified because of the coronavirus restrictions.

The public has been advised to watch the funeral on television, as there will be no public access to the grounds.

“There will be nothing to see outside Windsor Castle,” a spokesman said.

Well wishers have been urged to sign an online condolences book.

Britain's Prince Harry salutes as he stands alongside Prince Philip during their visit to the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey in 2016. Picture: AFP

‘THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE’

Prince Harry and Meghan made a statement on their Archewell charity website shortly after Prince Philip’s death was announced.

“In loving memory of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh 1921-2021,” the couple wrote.

“Thank you for your service … You will be greatly missed.”

Their words were the first personal statement from a royal, with Prince Charles and Prince William posting photographs of Prince Philip alongside the official Buckingham Palace statement from the Queen.

There was some criticism of the statement on social media, particularly for the use of the word service, which had been a source of dispute with the Royal Family previously.

Prince Harry, 36, has spoken to his father Prince Charles, and his cousins Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice about his plans to return home.

Prince Harry and Prince Phillip enjoy the atmosphere during the 2015 Rugby World Cup Final match between New Zealand and Australia at Twickenham Stadium. Picture: Getty

It is not clear whether he has spoken to his brother Prince William, 38, with whom he described his relationship as “space – at the moment” in the Winfrey interview.

He did add that “time heals all things, hopefully.”

Meghan, who is heavily pregnant with their second child, was unlikely to make the trip.

“Prince Philip’s funeral is obviously a huge family moment coming after a period of huge family turmoil,” a royal insider told The Sun.

“The differences and divisions are stark but the parting gift could be to unite the family.

“Harry clearly wants to be there.”

Travellers from the United States to Britain must isolate for 10 days on arrival under current rules, which can be cut to five days following an extra negative COVID-19 test.

However, Prince Harry would be able to be released from isolation on compassionate grounds to attend the funeral.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex are joined by her mother, Doria Ragland, as they show their son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. Picture: Getty

Prince Harry would likely stay at his home Frogmore Cottage, which he had allowed Princess Eugenie, 31, and her husband Jack Brooksbank to use last year.

The couple had a baby in February whom they named August Philip, in a nod to the Duke of Edinburgh.

Princess Beatrice, 32, remained close with both Prince Harry and Prince Philip and the Queen, and was seen as a potential circuit breaker.

Prince Philip attended her secret wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in July last year, which was held at the The Royal Chapel of All Saints at Royal Lodge, Windsor.

The Duke of Edinburgh was in the socially distanced photographs that were released, which was one of his final appearances.

While a royal source told the New York Post: “He will, of course, be there, no matter how difficult relations are between the Sussexes and the family.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with Archie. Their second child is due in July. Picture: Getty

Prince Harry’s feud with the Royal Family had appeared almost irrevocable, despite the Queen’s olive branches in public statements.

He announced in January 2020 that he and Meghan wanted to step back from full time royal duties.

The Queen refused to allow them to be half-in, half-out royals, and so Prince Harry and Meghan left for North America.

They based themselves in Canada before moving to California where they paid $20 million for a mansion in Montecito, near Santa Barbara.

The move made them neighbours with Oprah Winfrey, who had attended their 2018 wedding.

However, their chats were not just over the fence.

Winfrey convinced the couple to appear in a TV special which aired on March 7, where they accused the Royal Family of racism and claimed that no-one helped Meghan when she was having suicidal thoughts because of her media coverage.

Harry and Meghan seen during interview with Oprah Winfrey. Picture: CBS

The two-hour interview was watched by almost 50 million people across the world, according to American broadcaster CBS, which syndicated the chat.

The Queen responded saying that “recollections may vary” but that “the whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan.”

Prince Philip was in hospital at the time the interview aired where he was receiving treatment for a heart condition and an infection.

He was not told of the full details of what was said in the interview, according to the UK Telegraph.

Mourners outside Windsor Castle had mixed feelings about Prince Harry’s return, which would be the first time he had come home since the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

“I think it’s really bad that Meghan and Harry did that interview,” Denise King, 62, of Windsor said.

“They could have pushed it back because they knew Prince Philip was sick.”

Originally published as Prince Harry will return to UK for Prince Philip’s funeral