Buckingham Palace has hit back at claims made by The Telegraph, saying Prince Harry had been informed of his grandmother's death only minutes before it was announced to the public.
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Palace slams claims as disrespectful
On the eve of Queen Elizabeth II's funeral, claims emerged that Prince Harry was the 'last to know' about the Queen's passing. The Palace has slammed the claims as disrespectful, considering their timing.
The Telegraph published a report, which has now been amended according to Mail Online, stating that Prince Harry found out about his grandmother's death only five minutes before the official statement was made.
The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 8, 2022
The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/VfxpXro22W
It is believed that all members of the Royal Family were informed of the Queen's health on Wednesday evening, but that her condition wasn't 'dire enough' to have the family rush to her bedside.
By Thursday morning, things had changed. The then-Prince Charles reportedly called his sons, urging them to make their way to Scotland.
However, the publication claims that King Charles first called Prince William and then called Prince Harry' some time later', making it difficult for the Duke of Sussex to get a last-minute flight.
The Palace puts the record straight
In an unexpected turn of events, Buckingham Palace decided to speak out on such private matters.
Mail Online reports that a spokesperson for the King said:
The public was only informed after every family member had been informed.
Mail Online alsoreports that Prince Harry was informed at such short notice because he was on a flight to Scotland and not contactable.
A source has also reportedly spoken to The Telegraph, stating that all members of the Royal Family were treated equally.
They said:
The King was adamant that the official statement must not be released until all members of the family had been informed. That was a father talking because he cares.
The gap between Prince Harry and Royal Family made clear
The Telegraph points out that although the spokesperson was adamant that Prince Harry wasn't treated any differently, the events still highlight the 'gulf between Prince Harry and the Royal Family.'
These claims emerged after Prince Harry was reportedly 'heartbroken', according to News.com.au, that the initials ER were removed from his military uniform, despite disgraced Prince Andrew being allowed to keep his.
Prince Harry and Prince William stood vigil over their grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, at Westminster Hall on Saturday, both wearing military uniforms. Tens of thousands of people waited up to 24 hours to pay their final respects to the queen. https://t.co/VPH1mdcj8Npic.twitter.com/yFOidH1rDM
— The New York Times (@nytimes) September 17, 2022
Apparently, the Duke of Sussex was so distraught he considered ditching his military uniform entirely and opting for a mourning suit, per The Sunday Times
Sources used:
- Mail Online: 'Palace hits back over claim Prince Harry was 'last to know' about Queen's death'
- News.com.au: 'Shocking detail in how Prince Harry was told of Queen's death'
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⋙ Queen Elizabeth II owned hundreds of animals, what will happen to them now?
⋙ The Queen: Petition for her death anniversary to be a bank holiday has over 100,000 signatures
