The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were reportedly denied their request to fly back to the United States with President Joe Biden on Air Force One after the funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
According to a new report from the DailyMail, sources claim that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s request to accompany the president back to the US in September 2022 was a “non-starter” and there was “barely any discussion” about the request.
“It would have caused such a commotion,” another source alleged to the outlet. “It would have strained relations with the Palace and the new King.”
Months earlier, First Lady Jill Biden was reportedly invited to attend Prince Harry’s Invictus Games, which were held in the Netherlands in April 2022. However, the college professor allegedly declined the invitation amid concerns that the royal family would have been offended by her presence there.
“She wanted to go,” a source claimed to the DailyMail, alleging that British officials conveyed to National Security Council staff that they thought the idea to attend the games would “land badly” with Buckingham Palace.
Pete Buttigieg, US Secretary of Transportation, and his husband Chasten Buttigieg led the US delegation to the 2022 Invictus Games instead – which Prince Harry founded in 2014 to honour wounded servicemen, women, and veterans. Dr Biden attended the Invictus Games in 2014, 2016 and 2017.
Despite reports that Harry and Meghan were denied their request to fly on Air Force One – the designated US Air Force plane carrying the President of the United States – the royal couple have often rubbed shoulders with US political leaders.
First Lady Jill Biden and President Joe Biden walk to board Air Force One at London Stansted Airport in Stansted, United Kingdom, on September 19, 2022— (AFP via Getty Images)
In September 2021, Harry and Dr Biden co-hosted a Zoom event with wounded warrior athletes after the Warrior Games had been canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “Thank you for your service and your continued support over all these years,” Harry told the first lady during the event. “It’s been fantastic to see you in action in various parts of the world giving everything that you’ve got to so many people to not just those who wear the uniform but to the families as well. A lot of them wouldn’t be here without you so, thank you.”
In return, Dr Biden thanked the duke directly for his continued support of the Warrior Games. “You live by a simple principle: Serve together, recover together,” she told him. “It’s a philosophy not limited by the flag you wear. Your brothers and sisters-in-arms are connected by something so much deeper than the borders that separate us. You’ve dedicated your time, talents, and heart to lifting up service members from around the globe.”
Duke and Duchess of Sussex attend funeral of late Queen Elizabeth II— (Getty Images)
Both the Sussexes, President Joe Biden, and First Lady Jill Biden attended the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on 19 September. The late monarch’s state funeral gathered together hundreds of world leaders, diplomats, and international royals at Westminster Abbey in London.
The sombre event also marked one of the few times Harry and Meghan have reunited with the royal family after stepping down as senior working royals in 2020. Since then, the couple has shared several bombshell claims about the royal family in their sit-down interview with Oprah Winfrey, their six-part Netflix docuseries, and in Prince Harry’s tell-all memoir, Spare. The many revelations included an alleged fight with his older brother, Prince William, in 2019.
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrive at Westminster Abbey in London for state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II— (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Joe Biden met with King Charles III at Windsor Castle in early July, which marked their first formal meeting since the British monarch’s coronation in May. During the meeting, the president was accused of breaking royal protocol when he was seen placing his hand on Charles’ back.
However, the King reportedly did not mind Biden’s alleged breach of protocol, as a Buckingham Palace source told People that Charles was “entirely comfortable” with the gesture. “What a wonderful symbol of warmth and affection it was between both the individuals and their nations,” the source said.
The Independent has contacted Buckingham Palace, the Sussexes, and the White House for comment.
