A grieving woman has shared how an unexpected encounter with brought her comfort during a difficult journey home.

Justine Parkhurst said she was in tears on a flight from Sydney after attending her grandmother’s funeral when she realised she was seated next to the Duke of Sussex. During their brief conversation, she told him her grandmother was the one person she wished she could share the moment with. In response, Harry reassured her, saying, “She already knows.”

The encounter happened on April 18, 2026, after Justine and her husband changed their original travel plans and were upgraded to first class on an . Coincidentally, was also on board, seated across the aisle, as the couple returned from a trip to Australia.

Reflecting on the experience, Justine described both Harry and Meghan as warm and kind, noting they were courteous not just to her but to others around them.

She later shared the story on , explaining that although she was heartbroken during the flight, the unexpected interaction brought her comfort. She also expressed a personal belief that the chance meeting felt meaningful, as if somehow connected to her late grandmother.

Justine was travelling back to her home in North Carolina via Los Angeles after visiting Australia, where her grandmother had lived.