As a global audience watched news reports of Queen Elizabeth II‘s ailing health unfold on September 8 last year, behind the scenes, it appears there was further tension.

While Her Majesty’s absence from a number of recent public engagements, including a number of events during her Platinum Jubilee celebration earlier in the year had suggested she was unwell, the extent of her ill health was becoming increasingly clear as news bulletins shared updates that afternoon.

The late monarch was at Balmoral, and as the day wore on, close family members made their way to Scotland – they, however, did not include Meghan Markle, with Charles reportedly telling Harry he did not want his son’s wife to come to Scotland.

Charles, then Prince of Wales, was said to be at his mother’s bedside, as was Princess Anne. It is widely believed that it was just these two, the Queen’s two eldest children, who were by her side at the time of her death.

Her two youngest children, Princes Andrew and Edward arrived as soon as they could, accompanied by her grandson Prince William, at the wheel of their car which arrived at Balmoral’s gates at 5:06pm.

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This image of Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral was taken two days before her death, It shows the royal waiting to receive the then-newly elected leader of the Conservative party Liz Truss

Prince Edward was accompanied by his wife Sophie, who was reportedly considered a second daughter by the Queen, with the pair sharing a very close bond.

The group had flown from RAF Northolt, landing at Aberdeen airport at 3.50pm

This was some two hours after the late monarch’s death at 3:10pm, and almost an hour and a half before the news was made public.

Notably, Prince Harry did not travel to Scotland with his brother or uncles, or indeed any other family members.

By chance, the Duke was in the UK with his wife, making a number of engagements including an appearance at the One Young World Summit in Manchester.

It is thought the couple turned down an invitation to see the Queen during their trip.

Despite being in the UK, Harry travelled to Balmoral alone.

This is despite a statement released via Twitter (now X) by the small group of media the Sussexes engage with.

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Prince William travelled to Balmoral with Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, and Sophie, then known as the Countess of Wessex (all pictured)

The statement, which was release at 1.53pm, said: ‘From a spokesperson: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be travelling to Scotland.’

However, Meghan did not eventually accompany Harry, who wrote about the episode in his memoir Spare.

According to the book, after the Sussexes told their team to confirm that they would be cancelling their pre-arranged engagements (which imminently included the WellChild Awards) to travel to Scotland, Harry received a phone call from his father.

According to Spare: ‘He [Charles] said I was welcome at Balmoral, but he didn’t want…her. He started to lay out his reason, which was nonsensical, and disrespectful, and I wasn’t having it. Don’t ever speak about my wife that way.

‘He stammered, apologetic, saying he simply didn’t want a lot of people around. No other wives were coming, Kate wasn’t coming, he said, therefore Meg shouldn’t. Then that’s all you needed to say.

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Days after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the two couples got together to do a walkabout around Windsor (pictured L-R: Kate, the Princess of Wales, Prince William, Prince of Wales, Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex)

‘By now it was midafternoon; no more commercial flights that day to Aberdeen. And I still had no response from Willy. My only option, therefore, was a charter out of Luton. I was on board two hours later.’

It has since been claimed by royal expert Robert Jobson, speaking to the Daily Telegraph Australia, that Charles asked William not to bring Kate to Balmoral, so that Meghan couldn’t come.

He explained: ‘If Catherine doesn’t come, Meghan can’t either, it’s not appropriate for wives to attend.’

‘Harry was insisting Meghan travel with him to Scotland as the Queen’s life ebbed away but the King said it was only for the children and grandchildren to be with the Queen.

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Prince Harry wrote about the row regarding Meghan not coming to Balmoral when Queen Elizabeth was dying in his memoir Spare (pictured)

‘Privately, he wanted to say Meghan was not welcome but he couldn’t say that to Harry so he personally intervened and asked Kate to stay back so that it was fairer on Meghan.’

Harry took a charter from Luton, finally arriving at Balmoral at 7.52pm, around and hour and a half after Queen Elizabeth II’s death had been announced by Buckingham Palace.

Little more than 12 hours later, at 8.28am the next morning, Harry was pictured being driven out of the castle.

Prince Harry was seen with his wife, alongside Prince William and his wife Kate, on September 10, as the couples joined together for a walkabout among crowds near Windsor Castle.

He and Meghan then stayed in the UK until the Queen’s London funeral on September 19, leaving for the US the next day.