Prince Harry's Plane Was Minutes From Landing When Queen's Death Announced

Queen Elizabeth II's death was announced while Prince Harry's plane was still in the air—while Prince William, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward also arrived too late to say goodbye.

Prince Charles—now King Charles III—and Princess Anne were by the 96-year-old monarch's side in her final moments.

Only Anne was at Balmoral when Buckingham Palace first announced there were fears for the queen's health and she was under medical supervision.

Charles and Camilla, now Queen Consort, were close by at Dumfries House, in Scotland, and made to Balmoral Castle in time.

A plane carrying Prince William, and Elizabeth's sons Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, along with his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex, arrived later in the afternoon.

That group did not make it to Balmoral in time to say goodbye to Elizabeth but, driven by Prince William, they arrived before the announcement.

Buckingham Palace confirmed the tragic news at 6:30 p.m. U.K. time, a few minutes before Prince Harry's plane was due to land at Aberdeen Airport.

The Duke of Sussex was left to make his own travel plans to get to Scotland and it was not immediately clear why he was not able to accompany the other royals in the first plane.

Harry has since left Balmoral to return to Windsor, where he has been staying at Frogmore Cottage while in the U.K.

It had originally been thought Meghan Markle would accompany the Duke of Sussex, but it was later confirmed she would travel up to Scotland separately at a later date.

The announcement on September 8, 2022, 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."

Following the tragic news, Prince Charles immediately became king and even as he grapples with grief from the death of his mother, the new monarch has duties to perform.

He will return to London on September 9, 2022, ahead of a meeting of the Accession Council at St James's Palace which is expected to be held within 48 hours of the death of a monarch.

In the days to come and before her funeral, he will tour Britain, and be proclaimed in the home nations of the United Kingdom.

King Charles III said in his first statement as the new monarch on September 8: "The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family.

"We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.

"During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which The Queen was so widely held."