While Princess Diana died tragically in a car accident more than 25 years ago, Prince Harry only recently started talking about the loss of his mother, and how difficult her funeral was.
“My mother had just died, and I had to walk a long way behind her coffin, surrounded by thousands of people watching me while millions more did on television,” he told Newsweek in 2017. “I don’t think any child should be asked to do that, under any circumstances. I don’t think it would happen today.”
Now, as the royal family mourns the loss of its matriarch, the Duke of Sussex is shielding his own children from grieving in public. Prince Harry's son, Archie, and his daughter, Lili, were not present for Queen Elizabeth's state funeral today.
Harry and Meghan were already in Europe for a series of charity-related appearances when the Queen passed away on September 8, and they stayed in the UK for this period of mourning. It's unclear if Archie and Lili are now also in the UK or if they remained at home in the United States.
While they are not present at today's ceremony, Archie and Lili were included in Harry's recent tribute to the Queen. In the message, the Duke of Sussex recalled Queen Elizabeth's service and duty and impact on the global community while also opening up about what she meant to him, his wife Meghan, and their children, Archie and Lili.
"Granny, while this final parting brings us great sadness, I am forever grateful for all of our first meetings—from my earliest childhood memories with you, to meeting you for the first time as my Commander-in-Chief, to the first moment you met my darling wife and hugged your beloved great-grandchildren," he said, referencing the Queen's words: "Life, of course, consists of final partings as well as first meetings."
Caroline Hallemann is the Digital Director at Town & Country, where she covers culture, society, and entertainment, as well as the British royal family, among a variety of other topics. Prior to leading the digital team at T&C, she served as the brand's Senior News Editor and Digital News Director, and has previously held positions at Travel + Leisure, DailyCandy, and Parenting Magazine. Caroline is also currently writing a book about the Kennedy family and the British royals, and she lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and their son, Tommy. You can find her on Instagram at the handle @challemann and on TikTok at @carolinehallemann.
