Police visited Prince Harry’s home in California in the middle of the night to inform him that Prince Philip had passed away, according to a report.
An officer from the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office was called to Harry and Meghan Markle’s home at 3am to deliver the news after all other means of contacting him failed.
A spokesperson for the force told The Telegraph that an officer was sent to inform Harry of his grandfather’s death before it became public knowledge.
Prince Philip died aged 99 at Windsor Castle on 9 April. In a statement announcing his death, Buckingham Palace said: “It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
“His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle. Further announcements will be made in due course. The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss.”
According to The Telegraph, Buckingham Palace alerted the US embassy in London, which then asked the Sherriff's office to ensure the news reached the Duke of Sussex as quickly as possible.
"We did go to the house on the ninth at 3 am on the request of Buckingham Palace,” the spokesperson said.
"The call note says it was a call for service from the US embassy in London,” they added.
Harry returned to the UK later that month to attend Prince Philip’s funeral, which was held in St George's Chapel on 17 April.
It was his first visit since he and Meghan left the UK in March 2020 after stepping down as senior members of the royal family.
In his new documentary series, The Me You Can’t See, which aims to break the stigmas associated with mental health issues, Harry revealed that flying back to the UK is a “trigger” for him because it reminds him of Princess Diana, his late mother.
“For most of my life, I’ve always felt worried, concerned, a little bit tense and uptight whenever I fly back into the UK, whenever I fly back into London.
“For me, London is a trigger, unfortunately. Because of what happened to my mum, and because of what I experienced and what I saw,” he said.
