There was no dinner snub between Prince Harry and King Charles III despite a report claiming that the Duke of Sussex declined his father’s invitation to dine with him on the night Queen Elizabeth II died.
An unnamed palace source told Page Six that King Charles had already left for his private residence by the time Prince Harry landed in Scotland on Sept. 8.
When Harry arrived at Balmoral Castle that afternoon, the King and Prince William had already departed for the monarch’s home on the estate, the source claimed. The new monarch and his eldest son were not at Balmoral for dinner at all, according to the outlet.
The comments from the palace source came after The Sun claimed in a report Thursday that Prince Harry “snubbed” his father’s dinner invitation when he arrived in Scotland on Sept. 8 after his wife Meghan Markle was allegedly banned from a royal family gathering at the castle to mourn the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
According to the outlet, Prince Harry wanted Markle, 41, to join him and his relatives, but the King, 73, allegedly called his younger son to say that the duchess’ presence was “not appropriate.”
Due to this, Prince Harry allegedly missed a Royal Air Force flight to Scotland with his older brother Prince William and uncles Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, the report claimed. According to the outlet, the Duke of Sussex was allegedly told to make his own travel arrangements and eventually landed at Aberdeen without Markle at 6:35 p.m. that day, just minutes after the Queen’s death was announced to the public.
When he was driven to Balmoral 90 minutes later, according to the report, Prince Harry allegedly declined King Charles’ invitation to join him, Prince William, and Queen Consort Camilla for dinner at Birkhall, the new monarch’s home on the Scottish estate.
A “furious” Prince Harry instead mourned with Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, and his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex seven miles away at Balmoral Castle, the report claimed.
Prince Harry flying to Scotland on a separate private jet had sparked speculation online that he was denied a seat on the plane carrying the members of the royal family However, an unnamed source told Page Six earlier this month that “absolutely no decision was taken to exclude” Prince Harry.
King Charles III had already asked his sons to rush to Balmoral to see the Queen after doctors became concerned for her health earlier that day, the source claimed.
Prince William flew to Scotland earlier than his younger brother because their father had asked him to attend the Privy Council meeting in his place, unnamed insiders told the outlet. At the time, it wasn’t clear what would happen over the next few hours.
Initially, a spokesperson for Prince Harry and Markle had announced that the couple was set to travel to Balmoral together to be with the Queen on Sept. 8.