Prince William Allegedly Caused Prince Harry To Miss Queen Elizabeth's Final Hours By Ordering Plane To Leave Without Him
While the impending death of a loved one usually brings family together, Queen Elizabeth II's September 2022 passing appeared to tear the royals further apart.
In an updated version of Tom Bower's Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War Between the Windsors, the author recounts how Meghan Markle's insistence on seeing the matriarch during her final hours actually caused Prince Harry to miss saying goodbye to his beloved grandmother.
According to the writer, on September 8, 2022, members of the monarchy found out the Queen was on her death bed in her Scotland home, prompting them to hop on their plane and see her. Coincidentally, the Sussexes were already in the U.K. for a charity event, so it was believed they would join the family — until Prince William allegedly shot down the idea, as he didn't want Meghan present.
"At Meghan’s suggestion, Harry insisted that he would be accompanied by his wife – and that plan was broadcast to journalists at 1:53 p.m.," Bower's book reads. "Meghan’s expectation was astonishing. For four years she had rejected the Queen’s invitations to visit Balmoral but, in her last hours of life, Meghan eagerly sought to make the journey. Firmly, Harry was told that Meghan was not welcome."
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"Unwilling to waste more time, William ordered the RAF jet to take off at 2:39 p.m. Harry was left to hire his own plane and make the journey alone," Bower states. "He landed in Scotland at 6:46 p.m., 14 minutes after the Queen’s death had been announced to the public. She had died at 3:10 p.m."
It's unclear if Harry recounts the incident in his upcoming memoir, Spare, though leaked chapters show he shades his brother more than once, even claiming William once physically attacked him during an argument about Meghan.
The Duke of Sussex is also discussing his tome in countless interviews before it hits shelves on Tuesday, January 10. As OK! reported, royal experts believe Harry talking to the media is only deepening the rift between himself and his brood.
The Mirror published the excerpt from Bower's book.