MEGHAN Markle “should be quiet” if she doesn’t want to be the centre of attention at Prince Philip’s funeral, a royal expert has said.
Angela Levin made the fiery jibe after the Duchess of Sussex’s pals reportedly claimed she stayed in the US to avoid stealing any limelight from Philip.
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A friend of Meghan’s reportedly told the MailOnline she did not return to the UK with Harry because she “didn’t want to be the centre of attention”.
They said: “Meghan said her main concern right now is supporting Harry. She said she left it up to him as to whether or not she would attend the funeral.”
The friend added: “Meghan said it’s during these times when family should come together, put their differences aside and unite as one.
“She said this is what Prince Philip would want and that she’s willing to forgive and move forward.”
But Angela Levin said it would be audacious of Meghan to assume she could steal the Duke of Edinburgh’s limelight and the Duchess should instinctively take a back seat ahead of his funeral.
The author of Harry: Conversations with the Prince, wrote on Twitter: “If Meghan didn’t want to be ‘centre of attention at the funeral’, told ‘friends’ she ‘adored Prince Philip’ and that she was ready to ‘forgive the Royal Family,’ she should be quiet.
“Instead all three comments show her patronising and grandiose behaviour. I don’t believe them.”
Explaining her comments to The Celeb Report Online, Angela said: “I think it’s astonishing that somebody who has been a member of the Royal Family for a very short time has the audacity to think she is going to be the centre of attention at a funeral of the most extraordinary man of 99 who was the husband of the queen for over 70 years.
“I think you should instinctively take a back seat and if you feel that you will be [attracting attention] you don’t say anything about it.
“You come and you’re very quiet, you sit in the back and wear black as you are told. If you don’t want to be centre of attention then be quiet.”
Meghan, 39, has not confirmed the comments from her friend and has not said anything publicly about her absence from Prince Philip’s funeral.
The Duchess of Sussex, who is expecting her second child this summer, was, however, advised not to travel to England for the service this weekend due to her pregnancy, a Senior Palace Official and Buckingham Palace spokesman confirmed.
Meanwhile, Harry made the 5,400-mile journey from the United States back to the UK over the weekend.
The Duke of Sussex was seen getting off a British Airways flight from Los Angeles that arrived at Heathrow at 1.15pm on Sunday.
He will now have to quarantine for ten days — though he can leave it after five days if he provides a negative test under the Government’s approved Test to Release scheme.
Harry will be allowed to attend Philip’s funeral regardless though, because guidelines state those coming in from abroad can leave isolation “on compassionate grounds”.
It is the first time the Duke has been in the UK since last March — and will be the first time he and William have seen each other since his and Meghan’s explosive Oprah interview.
But Ms Levin believes the brothers are unlikely to discuss the bombshell interview ahead of their grandfather’s farewell.
“I don’t think Harry and William will talk about it much before the funeral,” she said.
“1.) Harry has got to be in isolation and 2.) It’s not really appropriate to do that.
“I think people are looking after each other in their sadness but I think a proper conversation could occur after the funeral.”
The royal commentator added: “I hope that it can just begin something.”
