Meghan Markle Wanted to Be at Queen's Deathbed to 'Show She Was as Important as Kate Middleton' — Everything Was Motivated by 'Her Own Fame & Importance'
Meghan Markle was reportedly desperate to get to Balmoral before the Queen died.
April 2 2026, Updated 3:15 p.m. ET
Prince Harry raged when his wife Meghan Markle's demands to be with him at Queen Elizabeth II's deathbed were rejected, and the secret behind her motive has since been blown wide open, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Royal author Tom Bower claims Markle was desperate to be part of what she saw as a “historic moment,” eager to secure her place in the spotlight and be immortalized in iconic photos from the day. The former actress was also allegedly consumed by jealousy at the thought of sister-in-law Kate Middleton taking center stage alongside Prince William, while she was left on the sidelines.
Meghan Markle Was 'Unwelcome' at Balmoral for Queen's Death
Meghan Markle 'wanted to be there for a photo opportunity,' author Tom Bower claimed.
In his new biography, Betrayal: Power, Deceit and the Fight for the Future of the Royal Family, Bower writes that Markle had no interest in visiting Balmoral before quitting the royal family in 2020, but suddenly wanted to be there with Harry as the queen lay dying in September 2022.
During an appearance on royal expert Kinsey Schofield's Unfiltered podcast, Bower explained Markle's suddent change of heart.
"She wanted to be there for the photo opportunity. She knew it was a historic moment," he opined.
Meghan Markle Wanted to 'Show She Was as Important' as Kate Middleton
Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle have always had a frosty relationship.
Markle's competitiveness with the future queen, Middleton, also played a role.
"She wanted to be there to show that she was as important as Kate and that she was part of the family on the eve of her return to back to America," Bower shared.
Markle and Harry had happened to be in the U.K., purely by coincidence, when the queen fell ill and died on September 8, 2022. The two had flown to London for the duke's annual Wellchild Awards appearance when the 96-year-old's health took a sharp downturn.
"I mean, everything she did was completely motivated with one agenda, her own fame and importance. That's why she wanted to go to Balmoral," Bowers scoffed about the California native.
Prince Harry Got in a Heated Argument Over Meghan's Deathbed Ban
Frail Queen Elizabeth II is seen in her final photo, taken two days before her death.
Harry wrote in his 2023 memoir, Spare, that his wife was not wanted at Balmoral as the queen lay dying, and even said he got into a heated fight with his father, King Charles III, over the ban.
"He said I was welcome at Balmoral, but he didn’t want…her," Harry sneered.
The prince said his father "started to lay out his reason, which was nonsensical, disrespectful, and I wasn’t having it. Don’t ever speak about my wife that way."
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Neither Wife Made the Trip to Balmoral
The estranged duos ended up doing a joint walkabout st Windsor Castle following the queen's death.
Harry reportedly didn't back down until Charles told him Middleton would not be present at Balmoral either.
She stayed behind in Windsor to pick up her three children from their first day of classes at a new school, while William flew to Balmoral with his uncles, Andrew Windsor, Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie, who was like a second daughter to the monarch.
"He stammered, apologetic, saying he simply didn’t want a lot of people around. No other wives were coming, Kate wasn’t coming, he said, therefore Meg shouldn’t. Then that’s all you needed to say," Harry said.
