Prince Harry 'visits Queen Elizabeth II's grave' during his UK return
It's the third anniversary of the queen's death
Prince Harry reportedly paid his respects to his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, at Windsor today, on the third anniversary of her death.
According to reports, the Duke of Sussex, 40, made a private visit to St George’s Chapel, where the queen is buried, shortly after landing at Heathrow Airport this morning (September 8).
A Range Rover, believed to be carrying the duke, was spotted leaving the Windsor Suite at the airport soon after his flight touched down in the UK.
Photos published by The Sun showed the Range Rover departing from Heathrow. Other images show Harry boarding his flight in Los Angeles wearing a black polo shirt, jeans, and sunglasses, with a Mulberry duffle bag in hand.
Prince Harry visits Queen Elizabeth II’s grave in Windsor
September 8 marks three years since the late Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in 2022.
While other members of the royal family marked the occasion publicly, Harry’s commemoration remained strictly private.
As reported by the BBC, Harry privately laid a wreath and paid his respects at the queen’s resting place in Windsor. The late monarch is buried in the King George VI Memorial Chapel which is part of St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
Also on Monday, the Prince and Princess of Wales attended a Women’s Institute event in Sunningdale, Berkshire, to honour the queen’s memory.
There is still no confirmation on whether Harry will meet his father, King Charles, during his UK visit. The pair have reportedly not seen each other in over a year.
“Harry is flying 5,500 miles to London and the king is still 500 miles away in Scotland,” royal commentator Charles Rae said on The Sun’s Royal Exclusive. “It is unlikely you would expect the king would fly down again to have a cup of tea with Harry.”
He added: “I can’t see how you could possibly have a reconciliation without the whole family being involved.”
Prince Harry’s itinerary during his UK visit
Despite the frosty family dynamic, Harry’s trip will focus on his charity work. He will attend the WellChild Awards in London on Monday evening. He will reportedly announce a personal donation to Children in Need this week, too.
The duke is also scheduled to visit Nottingham on Tuesday (September 9), the city where he and his wife Meghan Markle made their first joint royal appearance in late 2017.
However, the Duchess of Sussex will not join him on this trip. Meghan remains in California to care for their two children, Archie and Lilibet.
There’s speculation over whether Harry will potentially extend his UK trip to attend the Duchess of Kent’s funeral next week. The royal passed away at the age of 92 on September 4. Her funeral will take place on Tuesday, September 16.
‘He’s not given up hope’
Harry last visited the UK in the spring for legal proceedings relating to the level of security protection he receives from the British government while here.
In the summer of 2024, Harry also flew back to Britain to attend his uncle Lord Fellowes’ funeral.
This week, Harry has a schedule packed with visits. On Tuesday, he’ll attend a charity event in Nottingham held at the Community Recording Studio.
He’ll also hold a private briefing with Children in Need, the Police and Crime Commission, CRS and Epic Partners. He’ll also meet with some of the young people he has met previously.
One friend of the duke reportedly told The Sunday Times: “He’s not given up hope on bringing his family back to the UK.”
For now, though, that reunion with his family seemingly remains out of reach.
Read more: Queen Elizabeth II’s honest admission about ‘regrets’ in her final days
What do you think of this story? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page to let us know. We want to know your thoughts!
