Harry ‘may delay return to pregnant Meghan to stay for Queen’s birthday’

Prince Harry may delay returning to his pregnant wife Meghan Markle in California and stay for the Queen’s birthday, reports say.

The Duke of Sussex, who reportedly held two hours of peace talks with Prince William and Prince Charles after the funeral, is said to have booked an open flight to the US.

This means he could go back to LA after the Queen marks her 95th birthday on Wednesday.

‘If all goes well, he could stay for the Queen’s birthday,’ a source told the Sun.

Meghan is believed to be around six months pregnant with their second child and was advised not to travel to the funeral by her doctor.

Harry left his wife for London last week, giving himself enough time to isolate before the funeral.

He was seen talking to his brother William at the service, in what is believed to be the first time since his bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey – in which the Sussexes accused the royal family of racism and the institution of failing to support a suicidal Meghan.

But it’s hoped their united front at their grandfather’s funeral could rekindle their relationship.

They are said to have met later on Saturday along with their father Charles at Windsor Castle when the television coverage ended.

The Queen’s birthday later this week will be the first of her reign without her husband, as the royal family observes another week of mourning following the Duke of Edinburgh’s death.

In would normally have been a special week for the monarch, but events will be toned down to reflect a period of grief for the family.

The Queen is staying at Windsor with around 20 staff members, dubbed HMS Bubble.

Last year, she decided not to celebrate her birthday in a special way during the first coronavirus lockdown, opting to speak with family members through private video calls.

She spent her 94th birthday with Philip but stayed away from other members of the family as they followed social distancing rules amid the pandemic.

The bells of Westminster Abbey – the church where she was married and crowned – stayed silent on her birthday for the first time in more than a decade last year.

The celebratory peal has taken place in her honour on her real birthday – April 21 – every year since 2007.

There were also no birthday gun salutes after the Queen decided the celebratory display of military firepower would not be ‘appropriate’ at the time.

Her official birthday is celebrated in June and is usually marked by the annual Trooping the Colour parade, although that will not go ahead in its traditional form for a second year due to the pandemic.

In a statement, Buckingham Palace said options for a parade in the quadrangle at Windsor Castle are being considered.

Also celebrating his birthday this week is the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s youngest son Prince Louis, who turns three on Friday.

William and Kate will also be celebrating a decade of marriage the following week on April 29.

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