Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had request to fly on Air Force One after Queen’s funeral denied

The couple supposedly had their request denied by the White House over fears it could harm relations with the Royal Family. Prior to the Queen’s death in September last year, Harry and Meghan were visiting the UK for charity engagements and remained in the UK until after Her Majesty’s funeral took place.

A source told the MailOnline that the White House denied the request in case it caused a "commotion" and harmed the President’s relations with Buckingham Palace. According to the paper, Meghan and Harry’s staff "reached out to the White House to ask if the couple could get a ride back to the United States on Air Force One", with them noting how it would have been a "grand photo opportunity".

The source added that it was an "immediate no from the Americans, with Biden’s staff recognising it was a no-go", with sources saying that there was barely any discussion on the issue other than it being a "non-starter". The source also stated that Harry and Meghan have been "trying to gain political influence in the US", with them wanting to board Air Force One as one of their methods.

Prince Harry and his then-fiancee, now wife, US actress Meghan Markle arrive to visit the Terrence Higgins Trust World AIDS Day charity fair at Nottingham Contemporary on December 1, 2017 | (Photo by Adrian Dennis - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Both the Sussexes, President Joe Biden, and First Lady Jill Biden attended the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on September 19 2022. The late monarch’s state funeral saw hundreds of world leaders, diplomats, and international royals gather at Westminster Abbey in London.