Like the rest of the Royal Family, Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, have been mourning the passing of Queen Elizabeth.
The couple attended the funeral of Her Majesty last week, but as per latest reports, the two have left the UK to travel back home to the US.
Now, all of know – or at least could guess – that members of the Royal Family have rules that they live by. It’s not all wealth and fame and fortune; far from it, in fact. In a new book, details about what it’s like to work alongside Harry have been revealed.
Former press secretary, Ed Perkins, worked alongside the Prince but once made quite the mishap when he texted Harry. As per Perkins, he referred to the Prince as “mate”.
Harry’s reply was short and sharp.
It’s now been three weeks since Queen Elizabeth passed away. The entire Royal Family – and indeed the nation as a whole – has mourned the death of the longtime monarch. Now, though, the official mourning period is over.
For senior members of the family, that means getting back to work fulfilling their royal duties. Of course, for Harry Meghan Markle, that’s no longer the case.
Since the two cut ties with the royals in 2020, they no longer expected to undertake official duties for “The Firm.”
When the Queen passed away, Meghan and Harry were, by coincidence, both in the UK. The Prince traveled to Balmoral to reunite with his family as the Queen’s health deteriorated. Meghan wasn’t there, but she was present for the State Funeral last Monday.
Harry also put out a touching statement following the Queen’s passing. On the Archewell website, Harry wrote about his grandmother, saying that her “unwavering grace and dignity remained true throughout her life.”
He also added a personal note:
“Granny, while this final parting brings us great sadness, I am forever grateful for all of our first meetings — from my earliest childhood memories with you, to meeting you for the first time as my Commander-in-Chief, to the first moment you met my darling wife and hugged your beloved great-grandchildren.
“I cherish these times shared with you, and the many other special moments in between. You are already sorely missed, not just by us, but by the world over.”
He concluded: “Thank you for your commitment to service. Thank you for your sound advice. Thank you for your infectious smile. We, too, smile knowing that you and grandpa are reunited now, and both together in peace.”
Why Harry and Meghan left England immediately after Queen’s funeral
Not long after the funeral of Queen Elizabeth, Harry and Meghan headed back home to their house in Montecito, California. Though tensions between the couple and the Royal Family have been high over the last years, this time there was a simple reason behind their swift departure.
Harry and Meghan’s two children, Archie, 3, and Lilibet, 1, stayed in the US while their parents were in Britain. It should go without saying that the couple greatly missed their kids.
“Meghan and Harry are preparing to return to Montecito almost immediately after the funeral [on Monday], where they’ll be reunited with Archie and Lilibet after being separated for over two weeks,” a source told US Weekly.
“They’ve missed the kids like crazy and have been FaceTiming them every day, but can’t wait to see and hold them again after a poignant few weeks,” the source added.
The relationship between Harry and his father, King Charles, hasn’t been at its best lately, primarily because of Harry leaving the Royal Family and speaking out against his family and father in the now infamous Oprah Winfrey interview.
Harry’s remarks about his family left many senior members of The Firm angry, especially his father and brother, Prince William. Harry even revealed that Charles stopped taking his calls following his move to the US.
Still, when Prince Philip was to be buried, Harry attended the funeral – the first time he’d seen his family since the interview. At that time, he didn’t walk beside his brother William, which many saw as a sign that the two weren’t getting along.
Following the funeral service, the pair talked to each other, indicating that perhaps they were trying to make amends. Just hours later, though, things are said to have fallen apart. Rumor had it that Harry met with his father and brother during a two-hour-sit down. Harry didn’t even know it was going to take place, though, and subsequently felt “ambushed.”
Things didn’t exactly get better when Harry, on an episode of the Armchair Podcast, took another swing at his father regarding his upbringing.
According to Valentine Low’s book, King Charles’ staff, for example, used the formal greeting “Your Royal Highness” before he ascended the throne, as well as “Sir:”
But one former press secretary at Kensington Palace, Nick Loughran, has now revealed that Harry wasn’t too keen on being formal.
“When Nick Loughran worked at Kensington Palace as a press secretary, he would call Harry by his first name, but tended to be more formal with Prince William because their relationship was not so close,” Low writes in Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown.
Even so, calling Harry by his wrong name – or being too casual – can lead to awkward moments, as one aide, Ed Perkins, found out the hard way.