A royal expert has claimed that Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle are better off not attending Prince Philip’s memorial because “their presence would turn it into the Harry and Meghan show”.

In honour of Prince Philip who passed away last April, the Palace is said to be preparing a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey in the spring.

However, it was reported that the late prince’s grandson, Prince Harry, together with his wife and family, might not be attending, at least without armed guards.

Ingrid Seward, Editor in Chief of Majesty Magazine, said: “I think if they choose not to come then everyone will breathe a sigh of relief.”

“It is thanks-giving for Prince Philip and we don't want it turning into the Harry and Meghan show,” she added.


A royal source said that just before Christmas, Prince Charles reportedly invited Prince Harry and his family to stay with him at his home, with hopes of meeting his seven-month-old granddaughter, Lilibet, for the first time.

However, Harry refused the offer to return to the UK without a substantial level of security from the Met Police.

For months now, Prince Harry has been petitioning the UK government to allow him to pay for police protection for himself and his family while they are back in the country.

Now, he was reported to be pursuing legal action against the Government over its decision to take away his police bodyguards, over claims that it's unsafe for him and his family to return to the UK without them.

A legal representative from the Duke of Sussex said in a statement: "Prince Harry inherited a security risk at birth, for life.”

“He remains sixth in line to the throne, served two tours of combat duty in Afghanistan, and in recent years his family has been subjected to well-documented neo-Nazi and extremist threats.”

"While his role within the institution has changed, his profile as a member of the royal family has not. Nor has the threat to him and his family.”

“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex personally fund a private security team for their family, yet that security cannot replicate the necessary police protection needed whilst in the UK. In the absence of such protection, Prince Harry and his family are unable to return to his home.”


Royal author Phil Dampier said that the security issue will give the Duke and Duchess of Sussex a “good excuse” to miss the memorial service for Prince Philip, but he added that Harry might still attend because “it looks good from a PR point of view”.

“[Prince Harry] will be criticised if he does come and criticised if he doesn't. He will look disrespectful to his grandfather who he was very fond of – so Harry may come but I’d be very surprised if Meghan does,” said Mr Dampier.

“In the current climate, flying about for one-off events isn't a very good look, I think if [the memorial visit] was combined with a few days and a serious attempt to sit down with his brother and father and try and talk things through, you can see the point,” he added.

“But I don't get the impression that anyone is ready to heal the rift."

Prince Philip’s service would coincide with the Queen's 96th birthday, as well as Harry's travels for the Invictus Games this year.

Buckingham Palace has not yet released any comment on the matter.