Prince Harry swerves question when asked whether he misses father and brother

Harry was directed to subjects he would rather have ignored, as Royal Editor Chris Ship reports

Was Prince Harry referring to problems with the Queen's health or bad advice when he said he wants to make sure the Monarch has "the right people around her", asks ITV News Correspondent Sejal Karia

Prince Harry has avoided answering whether he misses his father and brother, instead saying his focus is on the Invictus Games.

In a wide-ranging interview with NBC's Today show, the Duke of Sussex also spoke about how he is "trying to make it possible" that he will be at the Queen's Jubilee celebrations in June and that he wants her to meet his children, that Diana's "presence" is always with him, and that he wants to make sure the Monarch is “protected” and has “the right people around her”.

Speaking to Hoda Kotb in the Netherlands where the Invictus Games are being held, Harry - who now lives in California - said he misses his family and the "inability to get home and see them" during the Covid pandemic of the past two years has played a "huge part" in that.

When asked whether he misses Princes Charles and William, the duke avoided the question, instead saying his focus was on the Games which are held yearly for injured service personnel.

Prince Harry swerved the question when asked by NBC's Hoda Kotb whether he misses his father and brother

The 37-year-old was also asked whether he will attend the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in early June, Harry said he was trying to "make it possible" but he did not know yet due to "security issues".

He said he hoped to be back so that the Queen could meet his children.

It follows speculation that Harry and Meghan will make a Buckingham Palace balcony appearance alongside the rest of the royal family, during the bank holiday weekend to mark 70 years of the Queen on the throne.

Prince Harry says he hopes to be able to attend the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June

The Monarch has met two-year-old Archie, but not 10-month-old Lilibet - who is named after the Queen and was born in the US.

Lilibet's middle named is Diana, as a tribute to the duke's late mother, and when asked about the former Princess of Wales, Harry said his mother has been there for him “particularly in the last two years” since he quit the royal family.

When asked by Kotb if he feels his "mum's presence", the duke replied: “For me it’s constant. She’s done her bit for my brother but now she’s helping me."

What was Prince Harry referring to when he said he wants to make sure the Monarch has 'the right people around her'?

The interview comes just days after Harry and Meghan met the Queen and the Prince of Wales in secret at Windsor Castle, having flown in from their home in the US before travelling on to The Hague for the Invictus Games.

It is the first time the couple had been seen together publicly on this side of the Atlantic for two years.

The Duke Of Sussex said the Queen was “on great form” when he saw her, but added he wanted to make sure that she was “protected” and had “the right people around her”.

Speaking to NBC’s Today show about his meeting with the Queen, he said “Being with her it was great, it was just so nice to see her, she’s on great form.

“She’s always got a great sense of humour with me and I’m just making sure that she’s protected and got the right people around her.

“Both Meghan and I had tea with her, so it was really nice to catch up with her.”

He added that he and the Queen "talk about things she can't talk about with anyone else".

It comes ahead of the monarch’s 96th birthday on Thursday and just over a year after the funeral of her husband the Duke of Edinburgh.

Harry said: “Home for me now, for the time being, is in the States and it feels that way.

“We’ve been welcomed with open arms and have such a great community up in Santa Barbara.”

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The couple moved to Montecito, California, following their decision to step down as senior royals in 2020, saying they wanted a new life of personal and financial freedom

Harry flew back from California, without Meghan who was heavily pregnant at the time, to attend his grandfather’s funeral in Windsor in April 2021.

He also returned to the UK to unveil the statue of his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales in July, with his brother the Duke of Cambridge.