Prince Harry: Philip memorial absence criticised by Ferrari
The Duke of Sussex has been at the centre of attention this week over his decision not to come home for Prince Philip’s memorial service. Harry was the only senior member of the Royal Family not in attendance at Westminster Abbey, having confirmed last month that he would not be returning. Harry appeared to have a natural rapport with his grandfather, and the pair were frequently spotted smiling and laughing together at royal events.
A statement released by the Duke of Sussex’s team last month confirmed he would be staying in California, owing to concerns over his safety after he was stripped of Metropolitan Police protection upon stepping back from royal duties.
Despite his decision not to return for Tuesday’s service, Harry is believed to still have a strong relationship with the Queen.
His relationship with his grandmother was analysed by journalist and documentary filmmaker Robert Hardman, the man behind a number of royal documentaries including ‘Our Queen at Ninety’ which aired on ITV in 2016.
Speaking on Palace Confidential last week, he said: “I think the relationship with Harry is still very strong.
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Queen ‘compartmentalising’ with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (Image: GETTY)
Harry was the only senior royal not to attend the memorial. (Image: GETTY)
“There is a real fondness and a bond there, he’s devoted to her.
“And she’s very good at compartmentalising. Talking to people who know her very well, there’s family and there’s business.
“The whole issue of them leaving the Royal Family and their Sussex Royal website, all that kind of thing, that’s business — that gets dealt with separately.
“But in terms of the grandmother-grandson relationship, it’s still very strong.”
The Queen and Harry’s relationship is said to remain ‘very strong’. (Image: GETTY)
Mr Hardman added that, while the Queen would “clearly be very sad” at Harry’s absence from the memorial service, family dramas are nothing she has not seen before.
He said: “She’s been through so many family dramas, national and international dramas, that she can stand back.
“As one of her former officials told me, she operates on the principle, ‘This storm too shall pass.’”
Nevertheless, other royal experts have suggested that Harry may live to regret his decision to remain in California.
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Harry’s memoir is due for release later this year. (Image: GETTY)
Russell Myers, the Mirror’s royal editor, told ITV’s Lorraine on Wednesday: “He would have been afforded security had he come over for a big family event.
“He’s put himself into a difficult position because of this row with the Home Office about his taxpayer-funded security, which has been taken away.
“He wasn’t necessarily prepared to bring his [privately-funded] security over to the UK. So yeah, it’s a big issue for him.”
Mr Myers added: “I think he will live to regret that decision because a lot of the family were rallying around the Queen.
Harry will celebrate his grandmother’s reign in his book, an expert claimed. (Image: GETTY)
“You look at the pictures and images yesterday, she looked absolutely grief-stricken.”
Harry’s memoir is due for release later this year, and is being treated with much trepidation in royal circles.
The book’s publisher, Penguin Random House, said in July that the book will be a “definitive account of the experiences, adventures, losses, and life lessons that have helped shape him”.
However, royal expert Omid Scobie said Harry will seek to celebrate his grandmother’s reign in the book.
Speaking on the Royally Obsessed podcast this week, he said: “Harry really is going out of his way to make sure that there isn’t material in there that can be seen as negative towards the Queen or her reign in any way whatsoever.
“He really wants to celebrate her life and his relationship with her in that book.
“I think as much as the press want this to be a burn book and an attack on the institution, this is more just about his story.”
He added: “I think for people expecting that warts and all moment, it’s not going to happen. That said, it’s still going to be fascinating.”
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