Queen ‘Understands’ Reason Pregnant Meghan Can’t Come To Prince Philip's Funeral

Apr 14, 2021 by apost team

On Friday, April 9, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, passed away at the age of 99 years old. Not long before his death, the Queen's beloved husband was discharged from the hospital after spending several days there due to complications with an infection. Prince Philip's infection was reportedly not due to coronavirus, as he and the Queen were vaccinated in January of this year, according to BBC. Philip's passing ends his reign as the longest-serving royal spouse, having served alongside Queen Elizabeth II for 65 years and having been married to the monarch for 73 years in total.

Now that Prince Philip has passed, the Royal Family will be arranging a funeral, and it scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 17. One could imagine that is normally a large event with many attendees, but coronavirus only complicates the funeral planning further and limits the number of guests able to attend. 

While Prince Harry is attending and has already arrived in the UK, his wife, Meghan Markle, will not be coming to Prince Philip's funeral. According to Insider, this is because Meghan did not receive medical clearance to fly. Because Meghan is heavily pregnant and expecting her and Harry's second child, doctors have advised her to not fly to the UK, as such traveling during the pandemic would be risky for her and her unborn child. Meghan is expected to deliver her second child sometime this summer, but the exact due date is still unknown. However, according to PEOPLE, the Queen understands why Meghan cannot attend the funeral.

Read on to learn more about the Queen's feelings towards Meghan not attending Prince Philip's funeral on Saturday. 

Prince Philip was born June 10, 1921, in Mon Repos, Corfu, Greece. In fact, Prince Philip was born as a royal, originally inheriting the title of the prince of Greece and Denmark. However, Biography.com reports that his family was exiled from Greece when he was only an infant, which led to a lot of turbulence in his early life. He was then reared mainly in Great Britain, being educated at Gordonstoun School in Scotland, which was followed by his attendance of the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, England. He met his future wife, Elizabeth, for the first time in 1934, when both families attended the marriage of his cousin to Elizabeth's uncle and met once again when Elizabeth's father, George VI, was crowned.

Before Prince Philip got married to Queen Elizabeth, he was required to give up his titles and succession to the throne in Greece. He did so willingly and took on his mother's surname Mountbatten. The Duke of Edinburgh was an active and dedicated member of the Royal family ever since Queen Elizabeth's crowning.   

On Friday, April 9, 2021, Prince Philip passed away in Windsor Castle. The exact cause of death has not been released publically, but in an official statement, the palace said that he went peacefully. His death set off Operation Forth Bridge, which is the plan for publically announcing his death and the ensuing funeral arrangements. As Prince Philip was not a monarch, he won't be given a state funeral but a royal ceremonial funeral instead. Due to the current pandemic restrictions, the funeral will be very small — only 30 people will be allowed to attend. Taking place on Saturday, April 17 at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, many royal family members will be a part of the funeral itself.

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One prominent family member taking part in the procession will be Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex. The somber event will mark the first time Prince Harry has been back on English soil after stepping down from the duties of a senior royal just a year ago, Metro reported. Metro also reported that Prince Harry will be wearing a suit and not a military uniform since giving up his titles and stepping down as a royal. This will be in stark contrast to his father, Prince Charles, and his brother, Prince William, both of whom are expected to attend the funeral in regimental dresses. However, Prince Harry's wife Meghan Markle could not join him in returning to the UK, as the couple is expecting their second child soon. It is understood, however, that Markle had made every effort to join her husband until her doctors did not give her clearance to fly.

Although this may have sparked controversy, PEOPLE has reported that Queen Elizabeth understands why Meghan Markle will not be able to attend. According to PEOPLE:

 "Meghan expressed condolences. The Queen understands why she can't travel at the moment."

As the Queen has led by example during the pandemic, adhering to quarantine and limited social contact rules, nothing less was expected. As a parent herself, she must also know that in certain times, the wellbeing of your child comes first.

Meghan's due date for her second child is to be sometime this summer, but the exact due date is still unknown. According to Insider, it has been confirmed that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's second baby, and Archie's first sibling, will be a girl. 

What do you think about Meghan not attending the funeral? Isn't it sweet that the Queen is so understanding? Let us know your thoughts and be sure to pass this on to others who are following the funeral proceedings.