In his autobiography Spare, Prince Harry discusses the events that followed the passing of his mother, Princess Diana, his time in the military, and his impending separation from the royal family in 2020 with his wife, Meghan Markle.
The story has an epilogue that occurs in September 2022 at Queen Elizabeth’s funeral. Prince Harry reveals that the Sussexes visited Althorp, Princess Diana’s childhood home and final resting place, before they appeared in Manchester and then Düsseldorf during the week the Queen died. The royal couple had traveled to Europe for a series of charity events at the time the Queen passed away.
He recounts meeting “Uncle Charles” (Charles Spencer) and his aunts, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes, as well as Princess Diana’s siblings there.
To get to the island where Princess Diana is interred, they rowed. “Meg and I were led through the labyrinth, around a hedge, and up the path. The oval stone, which was grayish white, was there, looming “Harry composes. “No trip to this location has ever been simple, but this one… 25th anniversary. Meg’s first time, too. I was finally introducing my mother to the girl of my dreams.”
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Harry goes on: “After some hesitation and hugging, I went first. I decorated the grave with flowers. Meg gave me some time, and I used that time to talk to my mother in my head. I told her I missed her and pleaded with her for wisdom and clarity. I went around the hedge and looked at the pond because I thought Meg might also need a moment. Meg was on her knees, palms up against the stone, eyes closed when I returned. As we walked back to the boat, I questioned her about her prayer request. She urged clarity. and direction.”
It is a potent image of Meghan asking her late mother-in-law, whom she never met, for guidance and clarity.
They left for their business trip after visiting Althorp, but they were unable to complete it because Queen Elizabeth’s condition deteriorated and she passed away at Balmoral. Prince Harry writes in Spare that he first learned of his grandmother’s passing from the BBC but doesn’t go into great detail about how that week was spent with his family, other than to say that he and William didn’t speak much as they marched past their grandmother’s coffin to the funeral.
