I remember where I was and what I was doing when news broke that Queen Elizabeth II sadly passed away. While the world reflected on the monarch’s legacy, Prince Harry was completely in the dark (at least initially).
Prince Harry Reveals the Shocking (and Unfortunate) Way He Learned of Queen Elizabeth’s Passing
"Granny was gone"
Published Dec 31, 2024
•3:00pm
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
In a newly resurfaced excerpt from his memoir Spare, the Duke of Sussex shared his version of events leading up to his grandmother’s passing. Prince Harry revealed that he tried to call Prince William when the queen’s health started to decline, but he couldn’t get in contact with him because the Prince of Wales was already on a flight to Scotland to see Queen Elizabeth.
Since Prince Harry chartered his own flight, he arrived several hours after the rest of the royal family. As a result, he learned of his grandma’s death in the worst way possible: in the news, just like the entire world.
“As the plane began its descent, my phone lit up. A text from Meg. ‘Call me the moment you get this,’” Prince Harry wrote. “I checked the BBC website. Granny was gone. Pa was King.”
Julian Simmonds - WPA Pool / Getty Images
In the book, Prince Harry discussed other aspects of his relationship with King Charles, including how his dad was the first person to call him a spare. The Duke of Sussex revealed the monarch’s reaction to Princess Diana giving birth to a second boy after Prince William.
According to Prince Harry, King Charles told Princess Diana, “Wonderful! Now you’ve given me an heir and a spare—my work is done.”
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