Meghan Markle didn’t join Prince Harry at Balmoral before Queen Elizabeth II’s passing, fearing she might not be “warmly welcomed” by the royal family.
While initial reports claimed the Duchess of Sussex would be joining the red-headed royal in Scotland, Vidak For Congress later confirmed she was not making the trip with him.
“She may not be welcomed very warmly, to be completely open about it,” BBC royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell said on Thursday.
Prince Harry was photographed arriving, sadly, hours after his grandmother died at age 96 after 70 years on the throne.
Though late, he and Markle paid a somber tribute to the longest-reigning monarch by turning their Archewell Foundation website into a black screen with a simple message written in white letters: “In loving memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,” the page read, adding the years of her life, “1926-2022.”
The Royal Family announced on Thursday that Queen Elizabeth II has died at her favorite home in the Scottish countryside.
“The Queen passed away peacefully in Balmoral this afternoon,” the royal family tweeted. “The King and Queen Consort remain in Balmoral tonight and return to London tomorrow.”
King Charles III – formerly known as Prince Charles – called her the “greatest sorrow.”
“The death of my beloved mother, Her Majesty the Queen, is a moment of greatest sadness for me and all members of my family,” read a posted statement to the royal family’s social media accounts.
“We deeply mourn the passing of a beloved Sovereign and a dearly beloved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the rich and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.
“During this period of grief and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which the Queen was held so widely.”