Prince Harry & Meghan Markle React to Prince Philip's Death

published April 9, 2021

Prince Philip, the longest-serving consort in history, has died, Buckingham Palace announced Friday. And now all eyes are on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry who have been estranged from the royal family since stepping down as working royals in early 2020. In more recent days, the tensions between the couple and the royal family have boiled over, following Harry and Meghan's explosive tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey. Many royal followers are wondering how the couple will publicly handle the news; if they'll return to London for the funeral services; and if Philip's death will affect or help repair Harry's relationship with his family, including his brother, Prince William, or father, Prince Charles.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex posted a heartfelt message to the Archewell site Friday afternoon in honor of Prince Philip. It reads: “In loving memory of His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh, 1921-2021. Thank you for your service… you will be greatly missed.”

It's unclear if Harry and Meghan—who are based in California—were made aware of Prince Philip's passing in advance, but their message is in line with the rest of the royal family who are privately grieving the death of the patriarch. (Kate Middleton and Prince William quietly changed the header on their Kennsington Royal Twitter page to a smiling black-and-white shot of Prince Philip and swapped their Instagram icon from a happily family photo to their joint monogram.)

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Fittingly, Philip's wife of 73 years, Queen Elizabeth II, released the first formal press statement. Her statement, via the royal family's Twitter account, read, "It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen has announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle."

It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen has announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle. pic.twitter.com/XOIDQqlFPnApril 9, 2021

Neha Prakash is Marie Claire's Entertainment Director, where she edits, writes, and ideates culture and current event features with a focus on elevating diverse voices and stories in film and television. She steers and books the brand's print and digital covers as well as oversees the talent and production on MC's video franchises like "How Well Do You Know Your Co-Star?" and flagship events, including the Power Play summit. Since joining the team in early 2020, she's produced entertainment packages about buzzy television shows and films, helped oversee culture SEO content, commissioned op-eds from notable writers, and penned widely-shared celebrity profiles and interviews. She also assists with social coverage around major red carpet events, having conducted celebrity interviews at the Met Gala, Oscars, and Golden Globes. Prior to Marie Claire, she held editor roles at Brides, Glamour, Mashable, and Condé Nast, where she launched the Social News Desk. Her pop culture, breaking news, and fashion coverage has appeared on Vanity Fair, GQ, Allure, Teen Vogue, and Architectural Digest. She earned a masters degree from the Columbia School of Journalism in 2012 and a Bachelor of Arts degree from The Pennsylvania State University in 2010. She lives in Manhattan with her husband and dog, Ghost; she loves matcha lattes, Bollywood movies, and has many hot takes about TV reboots. Follow her on Instagram @nehapk.