Prince Harry to Attend Grandfather Prince Philip’s Funeral While Pregnant Meghan Markle Stays Home

Prince Harry will be at his grandfather’ Prince Philip’s funeral.

ET can confirm that the Duke of Sussex will be attending his grandfather’s funeral and will follow COVID-19 protocols for travel to and from the U.K., as well as during his time in the country. His wife, Meghan Markle, who is pregnant with their second child, made every effort to travel alongside her husband. But unfortunately, she did not receive medical clearance from her physician.

Harry, Meghan and their 1-year-old son, Archie, currently live in California and have not been back to the U.K. since March 2020. The two attended a number of final royal engagements before stepping down as senior members of the royal family.

Omid Scobie, co-author of Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family, told ET on Friday that Harry “will do everything he can” to travel to the U.K. for the elder royal’s funeral.

Philip died on Friday, April 9, Buckingham Palace announced in a statement. The Duke of Edinburgh, who was married to Queen Elizabeth for more than seven decades, was 99. In a post on his website, Harry thanked the late Duke of Edinburgh for his service and wrote that he’d be “greatly missed.”

Omid noted that Harry was “so close” to his grandfather, adding that Philip’s death will be “a very difficult time for him.”

“Not only is he many miles away from his family and the queen… he is also not able to be immediately part of what is going on over here in the U.K.,” Omid said of Harry. “The royal family has gotten used to the sort of digital means of communication and he will no doubt be in touch with the family.”

Meanwhile, as funeral arrangements are underway, the queen and other members of the royal family will take time away to enter a period of mourning following Philip’s death.

“We’ll see the queen’s royal mourning period followed by all members of the royal family,” Omid said. “If there are any appearances of them in the days or weeks ahead, we will see them dressed appropriately in black… All royal engagements over the next eight days at least have been put to one side.”

During this time, Omid said, the royals will focus on “coming together as a family and really supporting each other.”