As news broke around the world of Queen Elizabeth II’s death, many have wondered how Meghan and Harry will respond – especially considering the long-standing feud they had with members of the royal family.
Watch Below: Queen Elizabeth II’s Life In Pictures
Harry and his grandmother were particularly close, however recent reports suggested Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were not on speaking terms with his family at the time of her death.
As many people guess what could be happening within the inner-family circle in the hours following Queen Elizabeth’s death, here is everything we know so far about Harry and Meghan’s reaction.
Which Royal Family members were by the Queen’s side when she died?
It has been confirmed that Charles, Camilla and Anne were at Balmoral when the Queen passed.
Charles and Anne, the two eldest children of the Queen were already in Scotland prior to her health deteriorating, and have been confirmed to be at the Queen’s bed side during her final days.
Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and Prince William all flew to Scotland shortly after news broke that the Queen’s health was deteriorating.
Harry caught a separate flight soon after, with People reporting that he landed after news broke of her death.
It has not been confirmed whether Andrew, Edward, or William made it in time, but it is believed that they were also en route when the Queen passed.
Kate was not in Scotland at the time of the Queen’s passing either – staying in Windsor with her three children during their first week of school.
Meghan was also not in attendance, opting to stay in London.
BBC correspondent Nicholas Witchll speculated that “they [Harry and Meghan] have concluded that this isn’t really a moment for Meghan to be there with other close members of the family.”
Why did Meghan not travel to Balmoral?
Many were curious as to why Meghan did not travel alongside Harry to Balmoral once the Queen’s health deteriorated – especially as they were both already in the UK.
Despite a spokesperson for the Sussexes confirming that the couple would travel to Scotland together – Harry was photographed in the back of a car by himself as Meghan remained in London.
The BBC’s royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell revealed on-air why he believes the plan changed, explaining that Meghan “might not be terribly warmly welcomed, to be perfectly candid about it.”
Royal expert Katie Nicholl told ET that “Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, was not, we understand, invited to join the family.”
“She has said she will go to Balmoral another time. But I think it is quite significant that Prince Harry travelled to Balmoral on his own without his wife.”
Another royal insider hinted at high tensions amongst the family at Balmoral, telling The Post, “tensions were so high and there was no way Meghan could have gone to Balmoral.”
“The fact the Sussex camp did say both Harry and Meghan were going – and then quickly retracted the statement – will tell you everything you need to know about the drama behind the scenes.”
Will Prince Harry and Meghan Markle see the Royal Family after the Queen’s death?
Whilst Harry and Meghan have had a busy week touring Europe, they had avoided any royal run-ins.
Now, however, Harry has arrived at Balmoral – where a number of other royals are currently residing, including his father and brother.
Whilst Meghan hasn’t met with any Royals yet as she waits back in London – it is likely she will inevitably run into them soon.
The last time both Harry and Meghan publicly visited the royal family was during the Queen’s platinum jubilee celebrations earlier this year.
Since then, Meghan has released a divisive podcast where she has made a number of comments on her dislike of royal protocols and her personal experiences in the family.
Will Meghan Markle attend the Queen’s funeral?
Whilst the official details of Her Majesty’s funeral have yet to be confirmed to the public, it is likely the ceremony will be in 10 days.
Whilst both Harry and Meghan have cancelled their future appearances in Europe, it remains to be confirmed whether they will both attend the funeral.
Both Lilibet and Archie remain at home in the United States, so it is hard to tell whether the couple will return home to their children or remain in the United Kingdom for the funeral.
It is likely that Harry will remain for the funeral considering he attended his grandfather’s funeral last year. At the time Meghan, who was pregnant did not attend.
How did Meghan Markle and Prince Harry pay tribute to the Queen?
Prince Harry and Meghan have honoured the Queen in a loving tribute, just hours after news of her sudden death broke.
Taking to their Archewell website, the couple cleared it of all content, leaving only a black home screen with a single message written in white.
“In loving memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 1926-2022,” it read.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex currently have no public social media accounts and were unable to share an Instagram or Twitter tribute like other members of the royal family.
