Prominent royal analyst Kinsey Schofield has weighed in on the recent claims that King Charles had a conversation with Prince Harry, expressing his preference that Meghan Markle not accompany them to Balmoral Castle shortly after the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

Schofield shared her perspective during an appearance on TalkTV, asserting, “It appears they released this statement in an effort to exert pressure on the Royal Family, aiming for Meghan to be present at the time of the Queen’s passing. However, King Charles reportedly firmly opposed this notion.”

Russell Meyers, the royal editor at The Mirror, also commented on the situation during an interview with Sky News Australia. He noted that the relationship between the Sussexes and the Royal Family has not shown significant signs of improvement.

“It is quite evident that the family does not particularly desire her presence, underscoring the persistent strain in their relations. Unfortunately, it seems that there hasn’t been substantial progress in the past year,” Meyers observed.

While the world was closely monitoring news reports about Queen Elizabeth II’s deteriorating health on September 8 of the preceding year, it appears that tension was brewing behind the scenes. Although the Queen’s absence from multiple recent public events had hinted at her ailing health, the full extent of her condition became increasingly apparent as the afternoon unfolded, with news bulletins providing updates.

At that time, the late monarch was at Balmoral Castle, and as the day progressed, close family members began to make their way to Scotland. However, one notable absence was Meghan Markle, reportedly because Charles had informed Harry of his preference that his son’s wife not accompany them to Scotland.

Charles, then holding the title of Prince of Wales, was reportedly at his mother’s side, alongside Princess Anne. It is widely believed that these two, the Queen’s eldest children, were the sole individuals present at the time of her passing.

Her two younger sons, Princes Andrew and Edward, arrived at Balmoral as swiftly as they could, accompanied by her grandson Prince William, who was behind the wheel as they arrived at Balmoral’s gates at 5:06 pm.

Prince Edward was accompanied by his wife, Sophie, who was reportedly regarded as a second daughter by the Queen due to their close bond. The group had flown from RAF Northolt, landing at Aberdeen airport at 3:50 pm, roughly two hours after the Queen’s passing at 3:10 pm and nearly an hour and a half before the news became public.

Interestingly, Prince Harry did not join his brother, uncles, or any other family members on the trip to Scotland. Coincidentally, Harry and Meghan were in the UK at the time, participating in various engagements, including an appearance at the One Young World Summit in Manchester. Reportedly, the couple declined an invitation to visit the Queen during their trip.

Despite being in the UK, Harry embarked on the journey to Balmoral alone. This decision was made despite a statement released on Twitter by the select group of media outlets with whom the Sussexes regularly communicated.

The statement, posted at 1:53 pm, read: “From a spokesperson: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be traveling to Scotland.” However, Meghan ultimately did not accompany Harry, a matter that Harry addressed in his memoir, “Spare.”

According to Harry’s account in the book, following their decision to cancel their pre-arranged commitments (including the WellChild Awards) to travel to Scotland, Harry received a phone call from his father.

In Harry’s words, “He [Charles] said I was welcome at Balmoral, but he didn’t want… her. He started to lay out his reasons, which I found nonsensical and disrespectful, and I wasn’t willing to accept it. ‘Don’t ever speak about my wife that way,’ I asserted. He stammered and apologized, claiming he simply didn’t want many people around. He mentioned that no other spouses were coming, Kate wasn’t coming, and therefore, Meghan shouldn’t come either. That was all he needed to say.”

In the days following Queen Elizabeth II’s passing, both couples made a public appearance near Windsor Castle, interacting with the gathered crowds. The image captured Prince Harry with Meghan, alongside Prince William and Kate, the Princess of Wales.

Subsequently, Harry and Meghan remained in the UK until the Queen’s London funeral on September 19, departing for the US the following day. The situation surrounding Meghan’s absence from the initial trip to Balmoral brought to light a significant episode in the intricate dynamics within the Royal Family.