Death of Prince Philip: Prince Harry will attend his grandfather's funeral, without Meghan
Prince Harry's visit to the UK could ease tensions between members of the royal family. Pregnant with their second child, Meghan will not be able to attend.
The return to the United Kingdom for the funeral of Prince Philip of his grandson Harry, exiled in the United States since his resounding withdrawal from royalty, raises hopes of reconciliation for a family, whose crisis erupted in the great day.
The death two months before his 100th birthday of the husband of Queen Elizabeth II marks a change of epoch for generations of Britons familiar with the devoted presence alongside the monarch of the Patriarch of the Royal Family, renowned for his strong character, frankness and humor, sometimes in bad taste.
Meghan stranded in the United States
A year after the shattering departure of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle and a month after their devastating interview on American television, he is also giving the family the opportunity to try to put the pieces back together, the British press noted on Sunday.
In the midst of a pandemic, the funeral held next Saturday at Windsor Castle, west London, will remain in the family circle. Only 30 people will be in attendance, which is expected to include Prince Philip and Elizabeth II's four children (Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward) and their spouses and children.
Harry will be from California. On the other hand, his wife Meghan, 39, who is expecting her second child this summer, will remain in the United States. Her doctor advised her not to travel to the UK, Buckingham Palace said.
Family conflicts
This is the big comeback for Charles and Diana's youngest son after the shocking interview he gave with his wife to Oprah Winfrey on March 7. Stepping out of the usual reserve of members of the British royal family, he accused "The Firm", the monarchy's nickname, of failing to support his wife, despite her having spoken of her suicidal thoughts.
Harry and his wife, who is mixed race, spoke of the racism of a member of the royal family who allegedly questioned the skin color of their unborn child, specifying off camera that it was neither the Queen nor of her husband.
Harry, 36, also said he was "really disappointed" by the lack of support from his father, Prince Charles, and revealed that he had drifted away from his brother William.
"Shared pain"
Since his retirement from the royal family over a year ago, Prince Harry has not set foot in the UK again.
Former Prime Minister John Major hoped on the BBC that the "friction" would subside "as quickly as possible", saying the "shared pain (...) represents an ideal opportunity".
During a memorial mass at Canterbury Cathedral on Sunday, Archbishop Justin Welby called for prayers for the bereaved royal family.
Prince Philip "is dearly missed by my family and me," said his eldest son, Charles, on Saturday, paying tribute to his "dear dad".
"There is hope in an occasion like this"
Next Saturday, Harry and William will follow their grandfather's coffin on foot to St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle where the ceremony will take place, recalling the images of the two brothers together behind that of their mother Diana after her death in 1997 in Paris.
“Both of them are very much aware of their shared history and they will undoubtedly remember the impact their grandfather had on their lives. There is hope in an occasion like this, when brothers are united in pain, that they take a new turn, "a source within the monarchy told The Mirror tabloid.
Calm tensions down
Harry, Duke of Sussex, will certainly use his time in the UK to spend time alongside his grandmother, Elizabeth II, who turns 95 on April 21. In recent months, he has kept in touch with her via Zoom, which has allowed the Queen to continue to see her great-grandson Archie, who will turn two next month.
With his interview with CBS, "Harry's intention was never to hurt his grandparents, only to explain why he chose to take a step back," defends columnist Bryony Gordon in the columns of the daily The Telegraph.
Harry will be reunited with his father, with whom the relationship has deteriorated. In his interview, he revealed that Prince Charles had stopped answering the phone for a while.
For the tensions to subside, "it will depend on Harry," said Tom Bower, author of a Prince Charles biography, in The Sun Sunday. "If he arrives with a warlike attitude sure of his rights and free from any reproach, he risks sealing a permanent divorce with his family."
