Prince Philip ‘thought Harry and Meghan’s Oprah interview was madness and no good would come of it’

“I know from someone close to him that he thought Meghan and Harry's interview with Oprah Winfrey was 'madness' and 'no good would come of it'.

“I was not surprised because that is exactly how he described to me the personal TV interviews given by Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, back in the 1990s.”

It comes as:

• Philip’s funeral will be broadcast to the nation on TV next Saturday, with Charles leading a procession to the chapel at Windsor Castle
• The Duke of Edinburgh told son Charles he must 'lead the family and look after the Queen' in hospital heart-to-heart
• Boris Johnson will not attend the funeral to allow more space for the Royal Family
• Mourners flock to Buckingham Palace - but officials remove tributes in a bid to keep crowds under control
• The Queen was 'by her husband's side' as he died - and Philip spent his final days enjoying the sunshine

Mr Brandreth said that the fact the interview was aired while Philip was is in hospital "did not trouble him".

But he added: “What did worry him was the couple's preoccupation with their own problems and their willingness to talk about them in public.

“Give TV interviews by all means,' he said, 'but don't talk about yourself'.

“That was one of his rules. I know he shared it with his children. I imagine he shared it with his grandchildren, too.”

But it seems Philip was also sympathetic to Harry’s desire to “do this own thing in his own way”, adding “people have to lead their lives as they think best”.

I know from someone close to him that he thought Meghan and Harry's interview with Oprah Winfrey was 'madness' and 'no good would come of it'."

Gyles Brandreth

It comes as Prince Harry made the 5,400-mile journey back to the UK yesterday to make sure he could attend Philip’s funeral.

The Duke of Sussex was seen getting off a British Airways flight from Los Angeles that arrived at Heathrow at 1.15pm.

The 36-year-old, wearing chinos and a jacket plus a black face mask, was met by security staff with police cars also on the tarmac.

He was put into a black Range Rover and whisked away.

Sources had earlier confirmed he was due back imminently to quarantine in time for the Duke of Edinburgh’s farewell at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, on Saturday.

It was thought Harry was driven to Kensington Palace, where he could stay at Nottingham Cottage — the home he and Meghan once shared.

Harry, sixth in line to the throne, was at his £11million Montecito mansion in California when he was told the news of Prince Philip’s death on Friday morning.

Sources close to the couple said Meghan, 39, wanted to join her husband but was advised against travelling by her doctor as she is pregnant with their second child.