See while Meghan Markle did not attend Prince Philip’s funeral

The Duchess of Sussex was heavily pregnant with her and Prince Harry’s daughter Lili when the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral took place in April and was advised against flying by doctors.

Finding Freedom cites a senior royal source as saying some members of the Royal Family were “quietly pleased” Meghan did not attend as they “didn’t want a circus” or the Duchess “creating a spectacle”.

The claim is made in a new epilogue to the book by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand which is set to be republished on August 23.

According to the Independent, the biography says: “In truth, several members of the Royal Family are understood to have been ‘quietly pleased’ that Meghan stayed in California because they ‘didn’t want a circus’ or, commented one senior royal source, ‘the Duchess creating a spectacle’.”

The Sussexes have previously distanced themselves from the unauthorised book.

Harry returned to the UK on his own for Philip’s funeral on April 17.

It was the first time the Duke of Sussex had travelled back to Britain since Megxit.

Meghan, who was heavily pregnant at the time, remained at their Montecito mansion with their son Archie.

Philip’s funeral came just months after Harry and Meghan’s controversial Oprah Winfrey interview.

And the couple’s daughter Lilibet Diana arrived in May.

According to Mr Scobie, the couple have a “very busy period” ahead as they return to work following their parental leave.

The royal author told Good Morning America: “We saw them jump from one big project to the next especially when they moved over to the US but they’re on parental leave at the moment, enjoying that important family time from home.

“But we are about to enter a very busy period for the couple when they do return to work.

We will see those first projects from Spotify, the Netflix project coming out and of course their own work from their charitable organisation Archewell.”

Earlier this month, Mr Scobie said the Sussexes were entering “the era of visibility” and the “thrive chapter”.

The royal biographer told People magazine: “They’re a couple who do very well in those moments of human interaction. They need to be on the ground.

They say that the proof is in the pudding, and what we are about to see is that pudding.”

Harry and Meghan quit royal duties in March 2020 for a new life in California.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment.

Express.co.uk has contacted the Sussexes for comment.