Harry Mystery Deepens as Charles Felt Meghan Should Skip Queen Visit—Report

Prince Harry's experience of the somber day Queen Elizabeth II died has been shrouded in further mystery after unconfirmed reports King Charles III asked for Meghan Markle to remain in Windsor.

The Duke of Sussex—like other royals—scrambled to Scotland hoping for a chance to say goodbye to his grandmother in the final hours of her life.

However, while Prince William, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex, got a plane together, Harry and his team were left to arrange his own travel plans.

The other royals arrived together, heartbreakingly, just too late to see Elizabeth alive and the monarch's death was announced minutes before Harry's plane landed in Aberdeen.

The emotion was visible on Harry's face as he was later photographed arriving at Balmoral by car.

However, hours earlier there had been confusion over whether Meghan would join him on the journey after a last-minute change to the plan.

A spokesperson for Harry and Meghan had told outlets, including Newsweek: "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be traveling to Scotland."

Nothing was said publicly about why the plans changed—nor about why Harry was not flying with the other royals—though Newsweek understands there was an expectation that he would be responsible for his own arrangements.

Harry and Meghan were approaching the end of a whirlwind tour of Britain and Germany at the time and cancelled their attendance at the WellChild Awards on Thursday night.

Now, U.K. tabloid newspaper The Sun has reported that Charles—who was minutes away from becoming king—spoke to Harry to convey that the royals did not think Meghan should be among the limited group invited to make the journey.

She was not the only one to stay at home. Kate Middleton, newly made Princess of Wales by Charles on Friday, also stayed in Windsor with her and Prince William's three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

However, even as Britain descended into mourning, a picture was emerging of a difficult and emotional few days for the Sussexes that may have contained many complicated feelings beyond the grief and mourning felt by all the royal family and many around the world.

The years-long rift and months of public allegations and revelations were perhaps unlikely to evaporate completely and the Sussex camp will likely not want to distract from the focus on the queen—not least because they would be remorselessly criticized in the media if they were perceived to be turning the focus onto them.

However, leaks about the Sussexes in the British press have long been a source of family tensions and, if The Sun's account is correct, it will likely only exacerbate any hurt feelings.

According to The Sun, the royal family only found out about Meghan's plan to make the journey through the media.

Its story was picked up by other U.K. outlets, prompting a backlash from Sussex supporters on social media.

The fans' reaction will likely mirror the reaction in the Sussex camp, who are longstanding and vociferous opponents of newspapers like the Daily Mail, whose website lead with the headline: "Palace Incredulous at Meghan."

The chaotic events unfolded as the world held its breath for Britain's longest reigning monarch during a tense and febrile afternoon.

Public fears began when Buckingham Palace released a statement at 12.30 p.m. U.K. time on Thursday warning that doctors were "concerned" and felt Elizabeth should "remain under medical supervision."

At 6.30 p.m. U.K. time, while Harry's plane was minutes from landing, Buckingham Palace released the confirmation that a nation hoped would never come.

Marked "Announcement of the Death of the Queen," it read: "The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.

"The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow."

Charles, however, made sure he offered kind words for the Sussexes in his first public broadcast as king.

He said: "I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their life overseas."