Why Harry and Meghan weren't at Prince Philip's thanksgiving service

Watch: Queen and senior royals gather in remembrance of Philip

Harry and Meghan were absent at the Duke of Edinburgh's memorial service on Tuesday 29th March, which had onlookers wondering why.

The Duke of Sussex's spokesperson confirmed earlier this month he wouldn't be returning to the UK for the service for his late grandfather, who died on 9 April 2021 at Windsor Castle at the age of 99.

The spokesperson added that Harry hopes to visit the Queen as soon as possible.

The last time Harry came to the UK was in July 2021, for the unveiling of Princess Diana's memorial statue alongside Prince William.

Harry's absence caused upset among some, including TV presenter Piers Morgan.

"Imagine missing your mentor grandfather’s memorial service because you’re such a spoiled brat you’d rather sulk in your Californian mansion than be there to support your grandmother? Shameful" tweeted Morgan.

Others shared their opinions on the matter live from Westminster. "Prince Harry does nothing but sit there feeding his chickens in California, he should get on a plane and pay his respects to his grandfather," a royal photographer told Sky News.

Philip's former protection officer of 14 years Richard Griffin also told Sky News it was a "big disappointment for everybody" that Harry didn't attend the service, who dismissed their reported safety concerns as a "pathetic excuse".

Many other senior royals gathered at the memorial service, including the Queen herself.

Prince George, eight, and Princess Charlotte, six, even joined their great-grandmother and their parents the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the special day.

Read more: George and Charlotte join parents at Prince Philip's thanksgiving service

While a specific reason was not given for Harry's absence, he has pursued a legal challenge against the Home Office after being told he would no longer be given the "same degree" of personal protective security when visiting from the US, despite offering to pay it himself.

This comes after he and Meghan stepped down as senior working royals in 2020.

The pair, who married in March 2018, currently live in California with their two children: Archie, two and Lilibet, nine months.

Read more: Duchess of Cambridge takes inspiration from Diana's wardrobe for thanksgiving service

A legal representative for Harry previously said the duke does want to come home to the UK with his family, but fears it could be too dangerous, an understandable concern to have for his family.

The statement read: "Prince Harry inherited a security risk at birth, for life. He remains sixth in line to the throne, served two tours of combat duty in Afghanistan, and in recent years his family has been subjected to well-documented neo-Nazi and extremist threats.

"While his role within the institution has changed, his profile as a member of the Royal Family has not. Nor has the threat to him and his family.

Read more: 'Gobsmacking': Andrew sparks backlash after escorting Queen at Prince Philip memorial

"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex personally fund a private security team for their family, yet that security cannot replicate the necessary police protection needed whilst in the UK. In the absence of such protection, Prince Harry and his family are unable to return to his home.

"The Duke first offered to pay personally for UK police protection for himself and his family in January of 2020 at Sandringham. That offer was dismissed. He remains willing to cover the cost of security, as not to impose on the British taxpayer."

The representative added, "The UK will always be Prince Harry's home and a country he wants his wife and children to be safe in. With the lack of police protection, comes too great a personal risk."

Watch: Emotional Queen listens to people singing during Prince Philip's memorial

However, Robert Palmer QC, for the Home Office, previously told the court Harry's offer of private funding was "irrelevant".

In written submissions, he said, “Personal protective security by the police is not available on a privately financed basis, and Ravec [Royal and VIP Executive Committee] does not make decisions on the provision of such security on the basis that any financial contribution could be sought or obtained to pay for it.”

The decision for Harry not to attend was not well received in the past, according to royal reporter Rebecca English, who spoke on Palace Confidential for Mail+.

"Within a couple of minutes of announcing that he would not be attending the Duke of Edinburgh's service of thanksgiving, Harry’s team also announced that he would be attending the Invictus Games in the Hague in April, just a few weeks later,’ she told the programme.

"This has obviously surprised a lot of people… to travel to Europe to go to that, but not to his grandfather’s memorial service has, to use a well-worn phrase, got people’s goat.

"They feel it is a slap in the face to the Queen and, again, another PR disaster as far as many people in the UK are concerned."