Queen might not have wanted Prince Harry to stay in UK for her birthday, claims journalist
A journalist has claimed the Queen may "want Harry to go" back to America before her birthday, amid speculation whether the prince will stay in the UK for his grandmother's special day or return to Los Angeles to his pregnant wife Meghan Markle.
The Duke of Sussex arrived in the UK before the funeral, and had been self-isolating at his former home, Frogmore Cottage, in Windsor. This was the first time Harry met with his family since he and Meghan sat down with Oprah Winfrey for their bombshell tell-all interview, which was broadcast last month. The prince was also seen chatting with brother William and his wife Kate Middleton after the service, Express UK reported.
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"Prince Harry is reportedly considering staying in the UK for the Queen's 95th birthday this week," said David Koch, host of Australian morning show Sunrise. "He now faces the dilemma of returning to be with his heavily pregnant wife, Meghan or spending more time patching up his relationship with senior royals."
"For the sake of the royal family and harmony, just stay there Harry! Just for an extra couple of days," TV presenter Matt Shirvington added. Meanwhile journalist Louise Roberts speculated whether that is what the Queen wanted. "Does she have the stomach for more discussion around this? Maybe she wants him to go," Roberts said.
This will be the Queen's first birthday of her reign without her beloved husband, as the royal family observes another week of mourning for the late Duke of Edinburgh. According to the report, the Queen will turn 95 on Wednesday, April 21. It's worth noting that this would have been a special week with several celebratory occasions, but they will now be scaled down to reflect a period of grief for the family.
The 94-year-old monarch is currently staying at Windsor with around 20 staff members, dubbed the HMS Bubble. Last year, she chose not to celebrate her birthday in a special way in light of the first Covid-19 lockdown. Instead, she decided to speak with family members via private video calls. And while she was blessed to still have her husband by her side at the time, she stayed away from other members of the family due to social distancing rules amid the ongoing health crisis.
The Queen's 2020 birthday also made headlines after the bells of Westminster Abbey remained silent for the first time in more than a decade. Westminster Abbey is the same church where she was married and crowned.
According to Express UK, the celebratory peal has taken place on her actual birthday, April 21, every year since 2007. Meanwhile, the Queen also decided she would have no birthday gun salutes since the celebratory display for military firepower would not be "appropriate" at the time.
Having said that, the Queen's official birthday is celebrated in June and usually marked by the annual Trooping the Color parade, which will not go ahead in its traditional form for a second straight year owing to the pandemic. Buckingham Palace said in a statement that officials were still reviewing options for a parade in the Windsor Castle quadrangle to mark the occasion.