King Charles reportedly stepped in to prevent Meghan Markle from joining Prince Harry at Balmoral on the day Queen Elizabeth II died, according to a new biography. The claim appears in Tom Bower's book Betrayal: Power, Deceit And The Fight For The Future Of The Royal Family.
Final hours at Balmoral
Bower details the late monarch's final hours at Balmoral on September 8, 2022. Then-Prince Charles was alerted by phone that his mother was gravely ill and immediately flew to her Scottish retreat. He then called Princes William and Harry, telling them to board a private jet at RAF Northolt to head north.
As Harry and Meghan deliberated at Frogmore Cottage, Charles reportedly objected when he learned the Duchess intended to travel with her husband. According to Bower, Charles directly intervened: "When Charles heard that Meghan intended to come, he called Harry. That was unacceptable, said Charles."
Reason for refusal
The author claims the refusal stemmed from Meghan's past decisions regarding the late Queen. "Since Meghan had refused the Queen’s invitations to Balmoral in the Queen’s lifetime, she was unwelcome at her death," Bower wrote. "Sharing his grief with Meghan, who maligned the monarchy, was unthinkable, said Charles. He believed that, to her dying day, his mother was shocked by Harry’s disloyalty."
To defuse the argument with an "outraged" Harry, Charles clarified that Catherine, then Duchess of Cambridge, was also staying in Windsor, reassuring him that Meghan was not being singled out. Frustrated by the delay, Prince William reportedly ordered the plane to take off without his brother.
Response and other accounts
Prince Harry and Meghan issued a statement responding to Bower's biography. A spokesperson for the couple said: "Mr Bower’s commentary has long crossed the line from criticism into fixation. He has made a career out of constructing ever more elaborate theories about people he does not know and has never met. Those interested in facts will look elsewhere; those seeking deranged conspiracy and melodrama know exactly where to find him."
Despite claims of friction, other accounts depict a warm bond between Meghan and the late Queen. During her 2017 engagement interview, Meghan praised the monarch as an "incredible woman," and early meetings saw the Queen’s corgis take an instant liking to her. The pair also shared a warm public moment, laughing together during their first joint royal engagement in Cheshire in June 2018.
