Harry is keen to fly to the UK to attend grandfather Prince Philip’s funeral, a report said.
London:
The rift in the royal ranks after an explosive interview by Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle is to be set aside as reports suggest that the Duke of Sussex is keen to fly to the UK despite coronavirus restrictions to attend grandfather Prince Philip’s funeral.
Harry was close to his grandfather and, according to media reports, he is keen to be by the side of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, as she mourns the passing of her husband of 73 years.
Harry, who is now based in California, is unlikely to be joined by Meghan, who is heavily pregnant with their second baby.
“He will, of course, be there, no matter how difficult relations are between the Sussexes and the family,” a source was quoted as saying in ‘The Daily Telegraph”.
The difficult relations are a reference to an Oprah Winfrey interview last month during which the couple had raised serious concerns of lack of support within the royal ranks before they stepped back as frontline royals last year.
Current coronavirus lockdown rules state that the majority of people attempting to travel to the UK must test negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours of their flight and then quarantine for 10 days on arrival. But there is an exemption for people attending the funeral of a close family member and the possibility of a five-day quarantine under the Test and Release system with a negative Covid result.
Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s website has been transformed into a memorial page to the Duke of Edinburgh. A short message on Archewell.Com, set against a dark background, reads: “In loving memory of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. 1921-2021. Thank you for your service… you will be greatly missed.”
The details of the funeral, to be held at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, are being finalised but it is expected to be a very scaled down event due to the lockdown.
The Queen, who is said to have been by the side of her husband in his final hours, is being comforted by her children – Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.