Prince Philip 'Thought Extremely Fondly' Of Prince Harry Amid Megxit Drama

We’ve said it before: Prince Harry may not be royal anymore, but he’s still part of the family — and that’s what Prince Philip thought, too.

As the funeral for Queen Elizabeth II’s husband approaches, the Royal Family and their loyal subjects in the UK continue to mourn his loss. We all know Archie’s dad has been at odds with the fam for a while now, going back even before Megxit and compounded by the infamous Oprah tell-all. But none of us were surprised when Harry still hopped on a plane to be with his family during this difficult time.

It’s not just a lingering sense of duty that compelled the military vet to return to England. He also reportedly had a strong bond with his grandfather, one that had withstood all the family drama. A source told Us Weekly:

“[Philip] and Harry had a very close relationship. Whilst they may not have been able to communicate during the final year or so of his life, Philip thought extremely fondly of his grandson and vice versa.”

We know the 36-year-old hadn’t seen his family in person for over a year, but the idea they “may not have been able to communicate” raised our eyebrows. Especially since Harry described Zooming with his grandparents in an appearance on The Late Late Show With James Corden, where he joked that Philip would simply close the laptop at the end of their calls, rather than hang up.

Still, another Us insider previously expressed that the Duke of Sussex regretted not spending even more time with the royal patriarch towards the end. This source admitted:

“Harry feels guilty for not being there to say goodbye to Prince Philip in person.”

Luckily, we don’t think Philip went to his grave angry at his grandson over that CBS interview. Last we heard, the family didn’t fill him in on most of the explosive claims that emerged when the 99-year-old was released from the hospital in March. Probably for the best — he didn’t need to be bothered with a family feud in the last weeks of his life.

Last week, Meghan Markle’s husband paid tribute to the Prince Consort in a statement released on the Archewell website. He wrote in part:

“He has been a rock for Her Majesty The Queen with unparalleled devotion, by her side for 73 years of marriage, and while I could go on, I know that right now he would say to all of us, beer in hand, ‘Oh do get on with it!’

So, on that note, Grandpa, thank you for your service, your dedication to Granny, and for always being yourself. You will be sorely missed, but always remembered—by the nation and the world. Meghan, Archie, and I (as well as your future great-granddaughter) will always hold a special place for you in our hearts.”

We hope celebrating Philip’s life alongside his family is a cathartic experience for Harry, and for the rest of the royals.

[Image via WENN]