Palace hits back at claims Prince Harry was ‘last to know’ about Queen’s death

BUCKINGHAM Palace has hit back at claims Prince Harry was last to know about the Queen's passing.

Reports suggested other members of the family were told first and the Duke of Sussex only learnt about it at the same time as the public.

But the King's spokesman insisted: “The public was only informed after every family member had been informed.”

And while other members of the family were reportedly told first, it is understood that the Duke of Sussex was not contactable for a period of time because he was on a flight to Scotland.

A royal source insisted he was treated the same as other members of the family, and that no one had been in regular contact with the King during the difficult day.

They told : “Everybody was trying to get where they needed to be. That was the focus. 

“And the King was adamant that the official statement must not be released until all members of the family had been informed.

"That was a father talking because he cares.”

The Telegraph said he was mid-air when his dad King Charles called him, and the world was told by the time he touched down in Aberdeen. 

And he took off from Luton Airport an hour after Prime Minister Liz Truss had reportedly been informed of Her Majesty’s death.

A picture showed the Duke of Sussex just after he landed in Scotland, with Harry appearing distressed.

It is believed Prince Harry’s aides struggled to get a flight for him to see his grandmother after he was called sometime after Prince William. 

His brother meanwhile teamed up with his uncles Princes Andrew and Edward to fly from RAF Northolt to Aberdeen.

It is unclear why Prince Harry was not told earlier.  

It comes after the Duke of Sussex was understood to be heartbroken that the Queen's ER initials were removed from the shoulder of his military uniform for a vigil by her coffin

He even considered wearing a morning suit to avoid the embarrassment as he stood guard with Her Majesty’s seven other grandchildren. 

The Duke and Meghan Markle were also uninvited from a state reception of the world's leaders in memory of the Queen.

It is thought they only found out about it through the press.

A friend of the couple called the decision "completely bonkers".

But in hope for the royal feud to end, King Charles expressed his love for Harry and Meghan in his first speech as monarch the day after the Queen died.