Three years have passed since the UK was shaken by the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
For many, September 8, 2022, will always remain a day of national mourning, when the country lost its longest-serving monarch.
But while millions reflected on her extraordinary 70-year reign, the Royal Family was also navigating private tensions—especially involving Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
The Call That Changed Everything
On the morning of the Queen’s decline, Harry and Meghan happened to be in the UK. At first, both announced plans to travel to Balmoral together.
But royal insiders revealed that King Charles made a direct call to Harry, asking him not to bring Meghan.
According to sources at the time, Charles explained it would not be “appropriate” for Meghan to attend such a deeply sad and private moment, pointing out that Catherine, the Princess of Wales, would also remain in London.
Palace staff were reportedly left stunned when the Sussexes initially declared they would both travel to Scotland.
Within half an hour, Harry’s team frantically clarified that he would travel alone.
Behind the scenes, aides sighed in relief. But for Harry, the situation left a lasting wound.
In his memoir Spare, he admitted that his father’s reasoning “didn’t make sense” and felt “disrespectful.”
Harry’s Lonely Journey North
Tragically, Harry did not make it in time. His private jet landed at 7:52pm—an hour and a half after the Palace had already informed the world that the Queen had died.
Even more painful, Harry revealed he first learned of her passing not from his family, but from the BBC News website.
Unlike other senior royals, Harry wasn’t invited on the joint flight from RAF Northolt to Aberdeen.
He later recalled the shock of reading, “My grandmother had died. My father was King,” while still descending into Scotland.
A Public Show of Unity
Just days later, another highly scrutinized moment unfolded.
In a surprise move, Harry and Meghan joined Prince William and Catherine for a walkabout in Windsor, greeting crowds and viewing floral tributes together.
The display was widely praised as a gesture of unity, but royal insiders later revealed the truth was far more complicated.
According to biographer Robert Jobson, Catherine admitted privately that it was “one of the hardest things” she had ever done, given the simmering tensions between the couples.
Meghan’s Emotional Struggles
Harry and Meghan remained in the UK until the Queen’s state funeral on September 19.
During the sombre ceremonies, Meghan was visibly emotional—wiping away a tear outside Westminster Abbey before joining the procession behind the Queen’s coffin.
Later, Meghan opened up about the personal toll of being separated from her children, Archie and Lilibet, for nearly three weeks during that period.
Speaking to Queer Eye host Tan France on her podcast, she said candidly: “The longest I went without being around our kids was almost three weeks. I was not well.”
Harry echoed similar feelings in Spare, describing the time apart from their children as “longer than we’d ever been.”
Signs of Healing
Despite the painful memories, there are hints that relations between the Sussexes and the wider Royal Family may finally be improving.
This summer, reports of a “peace summit” surfaced after aides for King Charles and the Sussexes were spotted meeting in London.
Now, on the third anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death, Harry is expected back in London to attend the WellChild Awards, a charity he has long supported.
Significantly, this visit could also see him meet his father face-to-face for the first time in 20 months.
What Comes Next?
For the public, the anniversary remains a chance to remember a Queen whose reign defined an era.
For Harry and the rest of the Royal Family, it’s also a reminder of the personal heartache and strained relationships that marked her final days.
As King Charles prepares to mark the occasion as both a monarch and a father, all eyes will be on whether this anniversary offers a moment of reflection—and perhaps, at last, a step towards reconciliation.