Prince Harry warns distance from Queen is not good for image
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been warned to resolve the royal rift as they prepare to move to the Netherlands.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams wrote on Twitter: "Harry and Meghan really face the prospect of being separated from both their families, leaving their mother, which is not the norm for philanthropists!"
Speaking to Newsweek later, Mr Fitzwilliams highlighted how important it was to the Queen to meet Harry's young child, Lillibet, who is almost 96.
He added: "You can understand Harry's condition after the horrific experience with his mother," but added: "It was extraordinary not to attend the service of thanking Prince Philip."
He continued: "The Queen is almost 96 and she hasn't met Lillibet.
"I would have thought that the Queen's health has obviously been uneven and [she] has mobility problems, you would certainly think that he would try to [see] her."
He added: "We know he loves his grandmother very much and this is an opportunity I think he should take.
"On one hand Meghan is separated from her family—besides her mother—and they're both separated from the royal family.
"It sounds weird.
“No one knows what could happen in the coming months, and there is a rift as well as the relationship between the Sussexes and the Royals, we know there is.
"It would be in everyone's interest if the rift was at least partially resolved."
Agreeing with his comments, expert Ian Lloyd advised Harry to ring the Queen when he passed through the UK to visit Holland.
He added: "I think they need to be aware that in America they have a lot of family values and so they will need to be aware that if he doesn't visit the Queen obviously." So I don't think it will be good in the UK or in the US."
He continued: "His failure to attend the memorial service for Prince Philip was quite a notable absence when you think he was the only one out of eight grandchildren who couldn't make it."
Mr Lloyd said: "He should call.
"It would be very embarrassing if he didn't...
"The problem is with the Home Office in terms of security."
He continued: "He has to balance the fact that he hasn't seen his grandmother in a while and he hasn't seen Lillibet."