In the twilight hours of Queen Elizabeth II‘s life, Prince Harry found himself in a desperate race against time, allegedly forced to “beg” for inclusion in the family’s farewell to their matriarch.
The events of September 8, 2022, have been shrouded in controversy and speculation. Now, a new book by royal biographer Omid Scobie, Endgame, claims to reveal the tumultuous details of that fateful day. According to Scobie, Prince Harry was left isolated and uninformed as the royal family gathered at Balmoral Castle in Scotland to bid farewell to the Queen.
The roots of this family discord trace back to Harry and Meghan Markle’s decision to step back from royal duties in 2020. Their subsequent move to the United States and explosive interviews criticizing the royal institution had strained relationships within the family. Some could imagine that the death of a close relative would help to mend fences and bring people together. Instead, this tension reached a boiling point during the Queen’s final hours.
As news of the Queen’s deteriorating health spread, the royal family mobilized to be at her bedside. However, Prince Harry allegedly found himself excluded from these arrangements. Scobie’s book claims that his attempts to contact his brother, Prince William, and father, King Charles III, were met with silence. This left the Duke of Sussex scrambling to make his own travel plans, separate from the rest of the family.
The Queen’s last wish and Harry’s desperate plea
According to Scobie’s account, it was the dying Queen’s wish to have all her family present in her final moments. This desire reportedly led to a situation where Prince Harry was forced to “beg” for inclusion in the family gathering. Allegedly, Harry’s team had to plead with Buckingham Palace to delay the official announcement of the Queen’s death until he could arrive.
Despite these efforts, Harry’s journey to Balmoral was fraught with obstacles. While other royals traveled together, he was left to charter a private plane at significant personal expense. The book claims that during his flight, Harry remained unaware of his grandmother’s passing, only learning the news upon landing through a text from his wife and a BBC news alert.
The aftermath of Queen Elizabeth’s passing has only served to highlight the growing divide within the royal family. Scobie’s book suggests that the relationship between Prince Harry and his brother William has hardened into “something colder and more immovable,” characterized by “indifference” rather than active hostility. As William seems to be the true power behind the throne, this reveal underlines how Harry might never mend the broken bonds with the rest of the Royals.
Buckingham Palace has yet to comment on the claims in Scobie’s book, but the fact that they haven’t already speaks volumes. The Royal Family’s PR may be having difficulty controlling the narrative and clear William from the accusation that he prevented Harry from saying goodbye to Queen Elizabeth. Or even worse, they just don’t care enough to address the book, which would prove William wants nothing to do with Harry.