Royals' Unprecedented Plans for Queen's Death Anniversary: Will Harry and Meghan Attend?

King Charles III and Queen Camilla, Prince William of Wales and Catherine Princess of Wales with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis Shutterstock

King Charles III, Prince William, and Princess Kate are currently strategizing ways to pay tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II on the upcoming first anniversary of her passing. An exclusive source reveals that the trio is facing difficulties in finding a suitable celebration that adequately reflects the queen's esteemed presence, as the pain of her loss still lingers. While September 8th has been earmarked for some form of acknowledgment or event, the specifics are still being finalized.

The royal couple, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, are expected to be absent from any official event related to the memorial plans of the royal trio, as they are still being finalized. According to an insider, Prince Charles will also choose to spend the day in solitude with Queen Camilla, following his mother's tradition.

Buckingham Palace made an announcement in September 2022 regarding the demise of the late queen, who had reigned over the British throne for 70 years. She passed away at the age of 96. Following Elizabeth's casket being held in state in Scotland and subsequently in England, the royal family united for her official funeral later in the same month. The Prince and Princess of Wales, aged 41, were in attendance alongside their two oldest children: Prince George, aged 10, and Princess Charlotte, aged 8. (They also have a son, Prince Louis, aged 5, who did not attend the service.) Charles, aged 74, was accompanied by Camilla, aged 75, at the commemoration. Charles assumed the throne immediately after his mother's demise.

Queen Elizabeth II Shutterstock

In addition to serving as a funeral for Queen Elizabeth II, the event also provided an opportunity for a reunion between Prince Charles' second son, Harry, who is 38 years old, and Meghan, 42 years old. Following their decision to step down from their roles as senior royals in 2020, tensions had arisen between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and William, Kate, and Charles. This funeral served as their second meeting since Harry and Meghan relocated to California. Their first encounter occurred at the funeral of Elizabeth's husband, Prince Philip, in April 2021, where Harry attended alone as Meghan was pregnant with their daughter, Princess Lilibet.

"In a recent interview with British broadcast station ITV, Harry shared a poignant moment from Elizabeth's funeral. He and his brother joked about knowing the route, reminiscent of their mother's funeral in 1997. However, the difference in emotions was stark. While their grandmother's funeral was more of a celebration and recognition of her accomplishments, their mother's funeral was a heartbreaking loss, taken away far too young."

"After Queen Elizabeth's passing, Harry and Meghan shed light on their royal struggles through their Netflix docuseries and Harry's memoir, titled 'Spare'. This memoir, released in January, made shocking revelations about William, Kate, Charles, and Camilla."

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry MEGA

"The Palace has refrained from issuing a public statement in response to Spare, however, there is evident turmoil in the relationships between the royals and Harry," a second source stated earlier this year, referring to Harry's multiple claims, which encompassed a physical altercation with William and the royals' manipulation of media narratives about Meghan.

William, Kate, and Charles appear to have moved past the controversy as they diligently fulfill their official royal obligations.

According to a source, both William and Kate have experienced busier schedules since the queen's passing, as they have taken on additional initiatives and responsibilities. They are currently preparing for several new charity-based projects scheduled for September.

Among William's upcoming engagements this autumn is the Earthshot Prize Summit, where he will be traveling to New York City for the ceremony.