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King Charles 'told' Prince Harry not to bring wife Meghan Markle to Balmoral Castle as he and other senior royals rushed to the beside of the dying Queen, Daily Mail reported, citing The Sun.

Amid the personal family tragedy on Thursday, when the Queen died at the age of 96, a small domestic drama was playing out involving the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

It was a fortunate coincidence of sorts that Harry and Meghan were in the country when the prince's grandmother passed away, sparing him an emotional and undoubtedly traumatic transatlantic dash as the Queen's health failed.

Despite the rancour of the past few years, no one would begrudge him the chance to mourn his beloved 'Granny', with whom he had always enjoyed a warm and fun-loving relationship.

But as the royal households were consumed in concern for the ailing monarch, the Sussexes prompted an unprecedented flurry behind the scenes by announcing that Harry and Meghan would both be travelling to Balmoral.

According to The Sun, Prince Harry was at Frogmore Cottage when he received a call from his father asking him not to bring Meghan.

'Charles told Harry that it wasn't right or appropriate for Meghan to be in Balmoral at such a deeply sad time,' a source told the newspaper.

'It was pointed out to him that Kate was not going and that the numbers really should be limited to the very closest family.

'Charles made it very, very clear Meghan would not be welcome.'

Meanwhile The Telegraph reported that Harry was not initially summoned when senior royals made their way up to Balmoral, like his brother Prince William was, due to constitutional reasons.

A royal insider also said that 'it's quite hard to spend too much time with someone you know is about to publish a tell-all book about you.'

Another added: 'I think the general reaction to Harry and Meghan's behaviour has been one of incredulity to be honest.'