Prince Harry Reportedly Reunites With Royal Family Member Ahead of Grandpa Prince Philip’s Funeral

As the British royal family prepares to say their final goodbyes to family patriarch Prince Philip, his upcoming funeral on Saturday is bringing about family reunions. After leaving sunny California and flying home to the U.K., Prince Harry this week reportedly reunited with the first member of his family in more than a year.

Harry is said to have touched down in London on Sunday. Although he has only been home for a handful of days, and is currently quarantining due to the coronavirus pandemic, he reportedly reunited with cousin Princess Eugenie, the 31-year-old daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah “Fergie” Ferguson, Page Six reported. It is unclear when exactly the reunion took place, though it comes as little surprise that Eugenie would be the first family member Harry sees. The Duke of Sussex is spending his time in self-isolation at his former U.K. residence Frogmore Cottage. After leaving the U.K. last year to relocate to California with wife Meghan Markle and their nearly 2-year-old son, Archie, amid their exit as working royals, Frogmore Cottage became the home of Eugenie, her husband Jack Brooksbank and their newborn son, August. Eugenie gave birth to August in February, meaning this would be the first time Harry has met the young royal.

Royal expert Katie Nicholl told Entertainment Tonight on Monday, just a day after Harry touched down on his home soil, the royal is required to “self-isolate” for the next five days. Nicholl suggested that once those five days are up, Queen Elizabeth will be the first member of his family he sees. Harry notably had a very close relationship with his grandparents, something he confirmed during his interview with Winfrey. Nicholl said, “Of course given what has happened and what the queen is going through, I would imagine that she is probably the first person he will want to see as soon as he’s been given the all clear.” Nicholl added that despite their differences and the rift that the interview may have caused within the royal family, Harry is “very excited” to be reunited with his loved ones.

“Right now, I’m told he is of course very upset, missing his grandfather, but also relieved to be here in the U.K. and happy to be here and looking forward to being reunited with his family,” she said. “It’s going to be an emotional reunion, he hasn’t seen his family for over a year now, so I think a lot of people are thinking maybe there’s a silver lining in all of this that finally there will be a family reunion. I think there is every hope that this will be the beginning of the thawing of the rift between William and Harry.”

The Duke of Edinburgh, who passed away “peacefully” on April 9 at the age of 99, is set to be laid to rest in a small funeral service on Saturday. It will be held at St. George’s Chapel. William and Harry will join their father, Prince Charles, to walk behind their grandfather’s casket as part of a procession, mirroring when they had walked behind the late Princess Diana’s casket following her death. According to new reports, Philip had said to his grandsons at a dinner before their mother’s funeral, “I’ll walk if you walk.”