Meghan Markle and not that… Who are missing from Prince Philip's funeral?
With the approach of Prince Philip's funeral, those authorized to go to Saint George's Chapel to say goodbye to the Queen's husband have already been notified. Stayed in the United States for medical reasons, Meghan Markle will not be the only one not to attend this sad historic day.
It is in a select committee that the members of the Crown will honor one last time the memory of Prince Philip, who died on April 9. Due to sanitary restrictions, only 30 people will be able to attend the funeral, including the children and grandchildren of the Duke of Edinburgh, and of course his wife Queen Elizabeth II. After a moment of hesitation, Meghan Markle had finally decided to pass her turn, leaving Prince Harry to travel without her to the United Kingdom where he is currently observing a period of compulsory isolation. Officially, the Duchess of Sussex's doctors would have deemed the trip too risky, since she will welcome her second child in the coming months.
But Prince Harry's wife is not the only one on the list of major absentees from the funeral. Sarah Ferguson, the ex-wife of Prince Andrew, will not be present this Saturday, April 17 either. In the 90s, the divorce of Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew left traces in the hearts of Windsor, especially that of Prince Philip, who had never digested the pictures of the Duchess of York topless, being sucked toes by wealthy Texan businessman John Bryan. If the bonds between Fergie and her ex-husband are stronger than ever today, the Duke of Edinburgh had never really managed to turn the page. Despite the resentments, Sarah Ferguson has been very caring for the queen since Philip's disappearance, regularly accompanying her for a walk in the castle gardens to clear her head.
The case of Princess Michael of Kent
The wives of cousins of Queen Elizabeth II, including the Duchess of Gloucester and the Duchess of Kent have also been sidelined for lack of places. But one of the most notable absences is that of Princess Michael of Kent, wife of Prince Michael of Kent, one of the Queen's first cousins. A particularly controversial figure in the Crown, Princess Michael of Kent was not invited by the Queen, who had, according to Buckingham Palace, "to make difficult decisions as to who would be present or not".
In 2017, Princess Michael of Kent sparked controversy when she sported a brooch from blackamoor art, a 1700s style depicting African figures. Problem, this kind of figures is now associated with colonialism. Charged with racism, Princess Michael of Kent had apologized. After the allegations of racism within the Crown expressed by Meghan Markle, there is no doubt that Queen Elizabeth II made sure to do without any controversial guest for this last goodbye to the man of her life ...
