Meghan Markle 'Could Sense She Wasn't Wanted' During Queen Elizabeth's Final Moments
Meghan Markle's final royal gathering in the U.K. was Queen Elizabeth's funeral, and royal insiders claimed the Duchess of Sussex's presence became a nuisance to the Windsors at the same time that the monarch was on her deathbed.
In Omid Scobie's new book, Endgame, the royal expert spoke with palace sources about the Windsors' discomfort with the Duchess of Sussex being around.
"They just didn't want Meghan there," an aid told Scobie. Meanwhile, a source close to Meghan revealed that the actress "could sense she wasn't wanted."
"William ignored him," a family source told the journalist. "He clearly didn't want to see his brother."
Before Her Majesty's passing, Harry was able to say goodbye to his grandmother without his wife.
"When he arrived at Balmoral, Princess Anne warmly greeted him and led him to the Queen's room," Scobie wrote. "Where he spent a quiet moment privately paying his respects."
Scobie shared that Harry wanted to interact with King Charles, and William, but by the time he got to Balmoral, they were gone.
"He had hoped to see his father — who had made it to Balmoral Castle in time to see his mother alive — to express his sympathies, but he was informed that Charles, William, and Camilla had already left for Birkhall together," Scobie said.
"Again, no invite was extended to Harry," he continued. "That night after eating he retired to his room, exhausted by the day's emotional roller coaster. He was glad to have had a private moment to say goodbye to his grandmother, but there was no point in sticking around."
- Prince Harry Had 'No Idea' Queen Elizabeth Was in Her 'Final Hours and Days' as Palace Kept Him in the Dark
- Royals Won't Forgive Prince Harry for Doing Interviews While Queen Elizabeth 'Was Dying,' Says Source: There's Still 'Anger & Disgust'
- Queen Elizabeth II Felt 'Exhausted' By Royal Family Drama Prior To Her Death, Insider Spills
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During Elizabeth's last hours, Harry attempted to communicate with the Prince of Wales, but William wasn't responsive.
"With no offer to return with William and the others in the morning (all of his texts, including a thoughtful message about the loss of their grandmother, continued to be ignored), Harry booked his own British Airways ticket on the first available departing flight," Scobie said.
The Royal Observer reported Elizabeth felt betrayed by the Sussexes after their 2020 move to the U.S. was followed by a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey.
"For the last years of her life, certainly from when her husband died [in April 2021], the Queen was in a lot of pain. In the final months, of course, it got very much worse; by the time of the Platinum Jubilee (June 2022), she couldn’t see very much, she couldn’t hear very much, and she was easily confused. She barely moved from her apartments in Windsor Castle. Appearing on the balcony at the jubilee required a titanic effort," a source said.
Elizabeth's consciousness slowly dwindled, but she was well aware of Harry's various attacks against the institution.
"That was the time for Harry and Meghan to bite their tongue. Instead, they produced this unending stream of incredibly hurtful films and interviews attacking her life’s work," the source continued. "For Harry to announce he was writing a memoir when his grandmother was not just recently widowed but actually dying herself, as he must have known she was — well, the cruelty of it takes the breath away."
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While Elizabeth was mourning her husband, Prince Philip, she was watching the headlines surrounding the Sussexes.
"This stuff was shoved in her face on an almost weekly basis. It had an impact," the companion said. "She had lost Prince Philip, and then the constant ambushing of the royal family by a much-loved grandson did take its toll. At that stage in your life and your reign, you just don’t need that on top of everything else."