PRINCE HARRY WOKE TO 32 MISSED CALLS — THE PHONE SCREEN THAT REVEALED PRINCE PHILIP HAD DIED

Prince Harry has revealed the heartbreaking moment he woke to a phone filled with 32 missed calls from the UK — only to discover that his grandfather, Prince Philip, had died.

The Duke of Sussex recalled the devastating morning in his 2023 memoir Spare, describing how he had been asleep when people began trying to reach him.

Harry had been living in the United States since stepping back from royal life in 2020, meaning the time difference between Britain and California played a part in the missed calls.

When he finally woke up and saw the number of attempts to contact him, he quickly called his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

It was during that conversation that he learned Philip had passed away on April 9, 2021.

‘GRANDFATHER HAS PASSED AWAY’

Harry described his conversation with the Queen as “short, heart-racing”, recalling the words she used to break the news:

“Harry… grandfather has passed away.”

The moment came as a particularly painful shock for Harry, who had spoken warmly about his relationship with Philip.

In Spare, he described his grandfather as a man of service, honour and humour, praising his sharp wit and distinctive personality.

Harry wrote that Philip could “hold the attention of any room” because of his charm — and because nobody knew what he might say next.

‘TO ME… HE WAS MY GRANDPA’

Harry later paid tribute to Philip in a statement, acknowledging the late royal’s extraordinary public life while also remembering him in deeply personal terms.

He described Philip as the longest-reigning consort to the Monarch, a decorated serviceman, a Prince and a Duke.

But Harry added that, to him, Philip was simply his “grandpa”.

He remembered him as the “master of the barbecue, legend of banter, and cheeky right ’til the end.”

Harry also reflected on Philip’s decades-long devotion to Queen Elizabeth, writing that he had been “a rock for Her Majesty The Queen” and had stood beside her throughout their 73 years of marriage.

Then came a typically personal reference to his grandfather’s humour.

Harry imagined Philip raising a beer and telling everyone to “Oh do get on with it!”

HARRY’S FINAL TRIBUTE

Harry ended his tribute by thanking his grandfather for his service, his dedication to the Queen and, perhaps most importantly, for always being himself.

He wrote that Philip would be “sorely missed, but always remembered” by the nation and the world.

Harry also said that Meghan, Archie and he — along with their future great-granddaughter — would always hold a special place for Philip in their hearts.

For Harry, the news of Philip’s death therefore began with an extraordinary detail: 32 unanswered calls waiting on his phone when he woke up.

Only after calling his grandmother did he learn why so many people had been desperately trying to reach him.