MEGHAN Markle “did her bit” for Prince Philip’s funeral by sending a handwritten card as well as a wreath with touching hidden meanings, her pal has said.
The pregnant Duchess of Sussex was advised against making the 5,400-mile trip to the UK for the Duke of Edinburgh’s scaled-back send off yesterday, but requested for a note to be laid alongside a wreath with secret significance.
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The tasteful wreath left in tribute to Philip featured locally-sourced flowers hand selected by Meghan and Prince Harry, each with a special nod to the late Duke.
Talking on ABC’s podcast The HeirPod, Omid Scobie – a friend of the Sussexes – said Meghan had “done her bit” by sending the handmade wreath in Philip’s honour.
“I think everyone will be very happy with the input that they’ve had into all of this,” he said.
“We’ve seen all of the family members involved in their own way throughout the week.
“We’ve also seen signs from those that haven’t been able to attend.
“Of course the Sussexes were represented in full at the funeral.
“A wreath was provided by both Harry and Meghan and laid for the Duke of Edinburgh that was handmade by a florist that they’d used for Archie’s christening at Windsor Castle, and for the evening reception at Frogmore Gardens – again something that took place at Windsor.”
The wreath featured acanthus mollis, or Bear’s breeches, which is the national flower of Greece, representing Philip’s heritage, and Eryngium, or sea holly, in a nod to his time with the Royal Marines.
It also included campanula, which signifies gratitude and everlasting love, as well as rosemary to signify remembrance.
Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, also selected lavender for devotion and roses in honour of June, which is Philip’s birth month.
“And it came with a card that was handwritten by the Duchess of Sussex, Harry had brought that over,” Omid added.
“So I think everyone had done their bit today and that’s all that he (Philip) would have wanted. It was a true send off.”
Willow Crossley is said to have hand-made the wreath, who also arranged the flowers for the couple’s evening wedding celebrations in Frogmore Gardens and for the Sussexes’ son Archie’s christening.
Pregnant Meghan watched the funeral with Archie via a livestream in LA while Prince Harry flew to the UK for the sombre ceremony.
Meghan made “every effort” to travel but didn’t receive medical clearance from her physician.
She instead made “private arrangements” to mark Duke of Edinburgh’s life.
During his live coverage of the funeral from Windsor Castle yesterday for American broadcaster ABC, Omid said it was a “sad day” for Meghan.
He said she had “grown very close to Prince Philip over the years” and her “relations with the family will now be smaller” following his death.
“Although Meghan isn’t here, she is of course supporting Harry,” he told viewers.
“Her mind is very much on the situation over here.
“We know that she’s supporting Harry in this very difficult week for him, but she’ll also be sad because this is also the loss of a family member for her.
“She grew very close to the queen and Prince Philip over the recent years.
“It was probably her strongest relationship within the family and those relations then get smaller this week. It’ll be a sad day for her.”
Philip’s funeral was different to any other royal’s after Covid made the family strip back all tradition.
Just 30 guests attended and the Queen did not take part in the procession from Windsor Castle.
Everyone entering the chapel wore a face mask and all members of the Royal Family sat two metres apart.
