Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Harry. Chris Jackson/AP/Shutterstock; Shutterstock
Royal introductions Queen Elizabeth IImet Prince HarryAnd Meghan Markle‘s daughter, Lilibet, for the first time during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations, Use Weekly confirms.
“Harry and Meghan visited the queen at Windsor Castle with Lilibet and Archie,” a source tells Us exclusively.
The visit came as the 96-year-old monarch canceled several events, even though she “really wanted to be there” for the celebrations. “After reluctantly pulling out of Party at the Palace, spending time with her great-grandchildren and seeing Lilibet turn 1 added some light to her day,” the insider explained. “She thinks they’re adorable and gave Lili and Archie gifts.”
The Trooping of Colour was enjoyed by the queen on Thursday, June 2, but she decided to leave the celebrations that followed. “The Queen greatly enjoyed today’s Birthday Parade and flypast but did experience some discomfort,” a statement from Buckingham Palace read on Thursday. “Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow’s National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, Her Majesty with great reluctance has concluded that she will not attend.”
Although she was filmed with Paddington Bear at Saturday’s star-studded concert, the sovereign didn’t attend. Prince CharlesAnd Prince WilliamBoth of them made speeches in her honor. Harry, 37, was absent from the show. Meghan, 40, was also absent. The show featured performances by Queen. Adam Lambert, Alicia KeysAnd Rod Stewart.
The source added that the Queen watched the event on television and “felt so loved and overwhelmed by emotion.”
Shortly after the Jubilee Pageant was over, she made an unexpected appearance. As she celebrated 70 years of her reign and met her great-granddaughter, the queen beamingly waved to the crowd from the Buckingham Palace balcony.
The Duchess and Duke of Sussex welcomed their daughter in June 2021. Lili joined her big brother Archie who turned 3 months last month. The couple, who moved to California after stepping back from their senior royal duties in 2020, named their little girl after Harry’s grandmother, whose nickname is Lilibet.
“They had a shortlist with a few other options, but this was always their favorite,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly following Lili’s arrival. “It was important for them that the queen signed off though and that didn’t happen until right before the birth. Both agreed that it would only be right that Her Majesty approved, especially for something so personal. … He and Meghan both love Lili.”
The Sussexes “have a huge amount of respect for the queen” despite their decision to leave their senior roles, the insider added. Lili’s moniker is doubly special, as her middle name — Diana — is a nod to the duke’s late mother, Princess Diana, who died in 1997. (Harry’s brother, Prince William(Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana was also a nod to Diana in the name of his daughter.
“Harry always said that if he has a daughter, he wants her middle name to be Diana as a tribute to his mom,” the source told Usat the time.
Meghan and her husband, who were married in May 2018, couldn’t travel to the U.K. due to the coronavirus epidemic. While Harry paid a few visits to his native country — including for Prince Philip‘s April 2021 funeral — the SuitsAlum flew across the pond earlier in the year for the very first time. UsIt was confirmed that the twosome had reunited at Windsor Castle with the queen in April before departing for the Invictus Games in The Netherlands.
“Harry and Meghan had a wonderful time seeing the queen again. It was one of the biggest highlights of their year so far,” a source told UsYou can find out more about the visit.
During an interview, the ex-military pilot gushed about his grandmother Today‘s Hoda KochThat was the same month. “Being with her, it was great,” he said. “It was just so nice to see her. She’s [in]Great form. … She’s always got a great sense of humor with me.”
Before Lilibet met her namesake, the little one’s parents attended the monarch’s Trooping the Colour and Service of Thanksgiving as part of the jubilee weekend. The Archewell cofounders made a grand entrance at St. Paul’s Cathedral on Friday, June 3, but they didn’t appear to reconnect with William and Kate inside the chapel. The queen, for her part, did not attend the service after experiencing “some discomfort” during her birthday parade one day prior.
