Harry and Meghan rush to ailing queen, may reunite with William, Charles and other royals

An “alarming” announcement about Queen Elizabeth II’s health has prompted Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to travel to her Balmoral residence in Scotland Thursday, where they are likely to be reunited with Prince Charles, Prince William and other royal family members from whom they are estranged.

Buckingham Palace announced in a statement Thursday that the 96-year-old monarch will remain under doctor’s care at Balmoral as concerns over her health continue to grow.

“Following further evaluation this morning, the Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision. The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral,” the palace statement, released Thursday, said.

The news prompted official announcements from Prince Charles and Prince William, the first and second in line the throne, to say that they are on their way to the queen’s side, the Daily Beast reported. An official spokesperson for Charles and Camilla confirmed they had already traveled to Balmoral, while a spokesperson for Prince William said earlier Thursday hat he was “traveling to Balmoral,” suggesting he was making an urgent dash to be with his grandmother.

Yahoo News royal editor Omid Scobie, who is friendly with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, also tweeted that the couple, who were already in the U.K. ahead of a charity event Thursday evening, were also on their way to Balmoral.

Harry and Meghan had not intended to visit the queen in Scotland during their whirlwind visit to the U.K. and Germany this week, according to reports. The Sussexes also were not expected to have any contact with Harry’s older brother William or his wife Kate Middleton, even though they were staying at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor Great Park, a short distance from the Cambridges’ new home there, according to U.K. media reports.

Harry and William, once close, have been estranged ever since Harry and Meghan stepped away from royal life and moved to the United States. Harry and Meghan’s relationship with his family has also become fraught and possibly non-existent in some cases since the couple began publicly accusing the royals of harboring a racist family member, as well as being repressive, dysfunctional and antiquated.

But the feuding family members may put their differences aside as they gather around the queen. Others also making their way to Balmoral include troubled Prince Andrew, along with the queen’s youngest son, Edward and his wife Sophie, the Daily Beast reported. Prince Anne already is in Scotland.

This alarming news from Buckingham Palace comes after the queen was pictured using a walking stick while anointing Liz Truss as the new U.K. prime minister on Tuesday, the Daily Beast said.

“The whole country will be deeply concerned by the news from Buckingham Palace this lunchtime,” Truss wrote in a tweet posted shortly after the statement on the queen’s health was released. “My thoughts—and the thoughts of people across our United Kingdom—are with Her Majesty the Queen and her family at this time.”