When Queen Elizabeth II was nearing her final hours, Prince Harry faced one of the most difficult moments of his life. But alongside the sadness came fresh controversy, as reports at the time revealed Meghan Markle had been barred from attending the private family gathering at Balmoral.
The shocking revelation emerged three years ago when insiders began detailing the decision. According to a report by journalist Ed Holt for The Daily Mail, King Charles told Harry that it would not be “right or appropriate” for Meghan to be present at such a deeply personal moment for the royal family.
The reasoning given to Prince Harry was simple but painful. It was pointed out to him that Kate Middleton would also not be attending, and that numbers should remain limited to only the closest members of the royal family. Charles reportedly made it “very, very clear Meghan would not be welcome.”
At the time, conflicting reports created even more confusion. One spokesperson had said, “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be travelling to Scotland,” suggesting that both Harry and Meghan were on their way. But behind the scenes, that plan quickly changed after discussions with senior royals.
Even now, the full story remains clouded in mystery. Holt himself admitted that “it is still unclear how much pressure was brought to bear by the Palace itself – or whether senior royals were involved.” The lack of clarity has only fueled speculation about what really happened that day.
Some sources claimed that Harry and Meghan had not realized Kate Middleton was staying in London. Once it was explained that William’s wife would not be attending, the optics of Meghan joining suddenly became an issue. Senior royals worried it would look inappropriate for Meghan to be present while Kate remained behind.
The situation left Harry in an impossible position, forced to travel alone to Balmoral as his wife stayed away. For a couple already at the center of constant scrutiny, the decision added another painful layer to the rift between the Sussexes and the rest of the royal family.
In the aftermath of Queen Elizabeth’s passing, a joint walkabout followed in Windsor with Prince William, Princess Kate, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle. At first glance, it appeared to signal unity. Yet according to royal author Robert Jobson, the truth behind the scenes was far different.
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Jobson revealed in his book Our King that Princess Catherine later admitted to a senior royal that the walkabout had been one of the hardest things she had ever done. The tension between the two couples was so deep that the public appearance was more of a forced performance than a moment of reconciliation.
For Meghan Markle, the exclusion from Balmoral became another defining moment in her strained relationship with the monarchy. While critics argued she had no place at such a private time, supporters believed the decision exposed the deep divisions between the Sussexes and the royal establishment.
Prince Harry himself has spoken openly about the pain he endured in those days, though he has stopped short of confirming exactly what was said about Meghan. Still, the fact that she was absent from Balmoral has remained one of the most telling signs of how fractured the family ties had become.
The event also highlighted how different the roles of Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle were viewed within the institution. Kate’s absence was explained as practical, as she remained in London with the children, but Meghan’s absence was framed as necessary, even unwelcome.
For many royal watchers, these decisions symbolized the unspoken rules that govern the monarchy. While Queen Elizabeth’s death united the family in grief, it also laid bare the divisions that still define the royals today.
Three years later, the story of that day continues to spark debate. Was Meghan Markle unfairly singled out, or was King Charles right to limit Balmoral to the most senior royals? The truth may never be fully known, but one thing is certain that the Queen’s passing was not only the end of an era but also a moment that deepened the scars of royal family conflict.
