Prince Philip dies: Will Harry and Meghan return to UK after Duke of Edinburgh’s death?

Prince Harry is preparing to return to the UK for the first time since leaving Royal duties after the death of Prince Philip – but questions remain over whether Meghan will join him.

Harry’s grandfather’s death comes weeks after they gave an interview to Oprah alleging racism in the Royal Family which aired while Philip was in hospital.

The Sussexes, who faced calls to postpone the interview because Philip was unwell, accused an unnamed royal, not the Queen nor the duke, of raising concerns about how dark their son Archie’s skin tone would be before he was born. 

Since then, they have launched a charity, accepted lucrative business deals with Netflix and Spotify, given public talks, appeared on Zoom conferences, and on March 7, they criticised the Royal Family in a sit-down interview with Oprah that was viewed around the world. 

Meghan is now pregnant with their second child and due to give birth sometime in the summer but she has not disclosed exactly when. The couple has not commented on any plan to return to the UK.    

A source close to the family told DailyMail.com today: ‘Harry will absolutely do his utmost to get back to the UK and be with his family. 

‘He will want nothing more than to be there for his family, and particularly his grandmother, during this awful time.

‘Meghan is obviously pregnant so she will need to take advice from her doctors about whether it is safe for her to travel, but I think Harry will definitely go.’  

Harry, Meghan Markle and Prince Philip on Christmas Day 2017. The couple has not been in the UK since March last year

Prince Philip's death comes just a month after Harry and Meghan gave an interview to Oprah in which they alleged racism in the Royal Family. It aired when Philip was in the hospital

Prince Philip’s death comes just a month after Harry and Meghan gave an interview to Oprah in which they alleged racism in the Royal Family. It aired when Philip was in the hospital 

What kind of reception they will receive after their extraordinary interview and behaviour over the last year is uncertain.   

The most damaging claim they made during the Oprah interview was that someone in the family made comments to Harry expressing ‘concern’ over his son Archie’s skin tone. Meghan also suggested that the concern was why Archie would not be given the title of Prince.  

Harry would not reveal who in the family said it, but Oprah said after the interview aired that he assured her, off camera, it was neither the Queen nor Prince Philip. 

Meghan also told of how she begged for help when she was suicidal, but said the institution gave her no support. The Queen said the issues were concerning, but that ‘some recollections may vary’ and the matter was a family one that would be dealt with privately. 

Harry was due back in the UK on July 1 for the unveiling of a statue of Diana. 

Royal commentators had said that he intended to be there, despite Meghan’s imminent due date, and despite the rift between him and William. 

It is not clear if he planned to return in June, when Prince Philip would have turned 100, and when a Trooping of the Colour was planned.   

There was enormous criticism of the fact the interview aired on CBS at a time when Prince Philip was gravely ill in the hospital. The pair filmed it weeks beforehand. 

CBS host Gayle King, who is a close friend of Oprah, claimed afterwards that the pair had a contingency plan that if Prince Philip’s condition worsened, the interview would not have aired. It has not been confirmed by TV networks that that is the case.

The interview was sold by CBS to dozens of countries around the world, and CBS paid a reported $8million for it. 

The Queen said after the interview that the allegations were ‘concerning’ and that she would address them within Buckingham Palace.  

While Harry claimed in the interview to have always had a good relationship with the Queen, it’s unclear what kind of relationship, if any, he now has with Prince William and his father, Prince Charles. 

Meghan claimed during the interview that contrary to public reports based on palace sources, she did not make Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, cry during the run-up to her wedding and that it was Kate who made her cry instead. 

She also claimed that she’d been trapped by the ‘institution’ and was at one point suicidal but that when she sought mental health help, she was told she could not have it. 

The Royal Family has not commented on those claims. 

Buckingham Palace announced the death of Prince Philip at just after midday today - and described the Queen's 'deep sorrow'

Buckingham Palace announced the death of Prince Philip at just after midday today – and described the Queen’s ‘deep sorrow’

The Duke of Edinburgh spent his final days at Windsor Castle with his wife after a 28-night stay in hospital having been admitted in mid-February for an infection and a pre-existing heart condition.

Her Majesty announced her husband’s death at midday as the Union Flag was lowered to half-mast outside Buckingham Palace and on public buildings across the UK and Commonwealth. 

The Royal Family said in a statement: ‘It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

‘His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle. Further announcements will made in due course. The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss’. 

As with all royal births, marriages and deaths, a notice announcing Philip’s passing was displayed outside Buckingham Palace while mourners are already laying flowers at Windsor Castle, where he is expected to be buried in Frogmore Gardens following a small family service at St George’s Chapel.

A state funeral including a flotilla of boats on the Thames to mark his life looks impossible due to covid restrictions, but the Duke was said to have disliked the idea because he ‘didn’t want the fuss’. Details will emerge in the next few days. 

A frail Philip was last seen leaving hospital on March 16 and his death plunges the nation and the Royal Family into mourning, and brings to an end Philip’s lifetime of service to Britain and to Elizabeth, the Queen who adored him since her teens. The couple shared their 73rd wedding anniversary last November and he was due to turn 100 on June 10 this year.

The Union Flag was lowered to half mast at Buckingham Palace this afternoon just after it was revealed that Prince Philip has passed away shortly before his 100th birthday