The Queen’s passing and the subsequent funeral were meticulously planned over several decades. The plan, known as “Operation London Bridge,” included an extensive document detailing every possible scenario following her death.
Despite Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepping away from the Royal Family in early 2020, they too had prepared for this solemn moment. Reports suggest that when the Queen’s health took a serious decline, then-Prince Charles requested Meghan to stay behind, allowing Harry to visit his grandmother alone. The understanding was that Kate would also remain in England.
At the time, Charles believed the Queen had days to live, not hours, and he wanted the family to focus on their final moments with her, rather than getting entangled in unnecessary tensions. Although Harry and Meghan had originally intended to travel together, Meghan ultimately stayed behind. A statement from the Sussexes’ representative at the time indicated that the couple had planned to visit the Queen as a pair, but Meghan’s absence was due to a “change in plans.”
According to a royal biography, however, it wasn’t just Charles’ request that kept Kate from traveling to Balmoral. In fact, Kate chose to stay in England to support her children as they started school at Lambrook. This decision was reportedly used as a reason for Meghan’s exclusion, calming Harry, who was reportedly relieved upon hearing that Kate was also staying behind.
The biography, Charles III: New King, New Court by Robert Hardman, published in 2024, states that Charles had only wanted Meghan to stay away to avoid any potential family conflict. The royal family had a delicate situation to manage, and Charles was keen to ensure that their last moments with the Queen remained focused on family, not distractions.
Charles personally called both of his sons, urging them to come to Scotland quickly to say their final goodbyes. Harry, in his memoir Spare, noted that learning Kate wouldn’t be joining them seemed to ease his emotions when he found out Meghan couldn’t be at Balmoral.