Prince Philip 'Thought Extremely Fondly' Of Prince Harry, They 'Had A Very Close Relationship,' Insider Reveals
April 15 2021, Published 11:35 a.m. ET
Even though Prince Harry decided to step back from his royal duties in 2020, he had at least one person in his corner — his grandfather, Prince Philip.
“[Philip] and Harry had a very close relationship,” a source told Us Weekly. “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.”
After the Duke of Edinburgh passed away at 99 years old on Friday, April 9, Harry, 36, and his wife, Meghan Markle wrote a short and sweet message on their Archewell website. “In loving memory of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. Thank you for your service, you will be greatly missed," the message read.
A few days later, the red-headed royal — who immediately flew back home so he could attend the funeral — shared a lengthy message about his grandfather.
“My grandfather was a man of service, honour and great humour. He was authentically himself, with a seriously sharp wit, and could hold the attention of any room due to his charm—and also because you never knew what he might say next,” he began.
He continued, “He will be remembered as the longest reigning consort to the Monarch, a decorated serviceman, a Prince and a Duke. But to me, like many of you who have lost a loved one or grandparent over the pain of this past year, he was my grandpa: master of the barbecue, legend of banter, and cheeky right ‘til the end.”
In March, Harry ruffled some feathers after he got candid about why he left the royal family and touched upon his strained relationships with his father, Prince Charles, and Prince Harry.
As a result, Philip wasn't too pleased with his grandson's tell-all, which aired on March 7.
“I know from someone close to him that he thought Meghan and Harry’s interview with Oprah Winfrey was ‘madness’ and ‘no good would come of it,’” his official biographer, Gyles Brandreth, wrote in the Daily Mail.
Despite the drama, Brandreth said Philip loved Harry and thought he was "a good man."
