Queen given just 15 minutes’ notice by Prince Harry before announcement

Prince Harry has announced he won’t be returning to the UK for his grandfather’s memorial service - and now it’s been revealed how the Queen found out.

The Queen got just 15 minutes’ notice of Harry’s announcement that he was refusing to attend his grandfather memorial service.

The Duke of Sussex claimed he would feel “unsafe” after losing his personal security when he left for the US, reports The Sun.

It came as Her Majesty pulled out of this Monday’s Commonwealth Day ceremony, sparking fears for her health.

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Harry and Meghan are now based in Monecito, California – and the Queen is yet to meet their daughter, Lilibet. Picture: John Stillwell/Pool/AFP

Senior aides revealed that the Queen was informed of his snub a quarter of an hour before his statement about Prince Philip’s service was issued.

It read: “The Duke will not be returning to the UK in late March, but hopes to visit his grandmother as soon as possible.”

The decision comes amid a High Court row over Harry’s personal security.

Experts say he would have got adequate protection at the March 29 event in Westminster Abbey and when he stayed in Windsor.

The Duke’s friends, colleagues and representatives of organisations he supported are also said to be attending the service.

Angela Levin, Harry’s biographer, said: “He has snubbed the Duke of Edinburgh but really he is snubbing the Queen.”

She said his grandmother is still “grieving the loss of her husband of 73 years” — and his no-show was a form of “blackmail” to get his own way.

She went on: “He has got this all wrong. If he comes over for a royal event he gets police protection. What they won’t do is, if he goes out with his friends he gets security.

“He’ll probably use this same excuse to try to get out of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.”

Prince William, Prince Andrew and Prince Harry walking behind the coffin during the funeral of Prince Philip in April last year. Picture: Mark Large-WPA Pool/Getty Images

It will be attended by the Queen and senior royals including William, Kate, Charles and Camilla.

Despite Harry refusing to return for the memorial, it is unclear whether he may travel to Europe for the Invictus Games in Holland next month.

Harry has been back to the UK only twice since leaving for the US in 2020 with wife Meghan.

He returned for Philip’s funeral last April — just days after he blasted his family in a TV interview.

Two months later he was at the unveiling of his mother Diana’s statue at Kensington Palace.

Harry is suing the Home Office after his armed bodyguards were removed.

He said he would feel unsafe bringing over his two children Archie, two, and Lilibet, nine months.

Buckingham Palace did not comment.     

This article originally appeared in The Sun and was reproduced with permission.