Prince Harry remembers what Queen Elizabeth said about her children when they last met. The Duke of Sussex, 41, reflected on the poignant memory in his 2023 memoir ‘Spare’, which describes the encounter when his grandmother met his daughter Princess Lilibet for what is believed to be the first and only time.According to the memoir, Prince Harry wrote about processing his grandmother’s death and found himself unable to stop picturing his son and daughter with the late monarch. “Archie making a deep, masterful bow, his baby girl Lilibet hugging the monarch’s buttocks. The sweetest babies, said Grandma, looking bewildered,” the Duke of Sussex recalled to ‘Spare’.Harry gave more insight into the Queen’s reaction to meeting her children. “She’d expect them to be a bit more… American, I think? Meaning, in her mind, more rambunctious,” he wrote, suggesting that Queen Elizabeth expected the children to display the traits she associated with American behavior.
Details of the June 2022 royal meeting:
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left their royal roles in the United Kingdom in 2020 when Prince Archie was still a baby. The family of four travel back to Britain in June 2022 for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, marking a significant return to the country they left two years ago.
Prince Harry’s personal tribute after Queen Elizabeth’s death
According to People, in a personal statement released after Queen Elizabeth’s death, Prince Harry paid tribute to the monarch and referenced moments with his late grandmother that he said he “cherished.”“Grandma, while this last parting brings us great sadness, I am grateful for all our first meetings – from my first childhood memories with you, to meeting you for the first time as my Commander-in-Chief, to the first time you met my beloved wife and hugged your beloved great-grandchildren,” said Prince Harry in his tribute.
Prince Harry recalled the late Queen’s warm reaction to meeting his great-grandchildren during a 2022 family visit to the UK. Image credit (Instagram)
He continued to reflect on the significance of those moments. “I cherish these moments shared with you, and the many other special moments in between. You are greatly missed, not only by us, but by the whole world. And when it comes to first meetings, we are now honoring my father in his new role as King Charles III,” he concluded.
King Charles meets his grandson for the first time
It was previously confirmed that King Charles will also meet his granddaughter Princess Lilibet for the first time during a visit in June 2022. A royal source described the encounter as positive at the time. “It was a wonderful visit. The prince was delighted to see his grandson and meet his granddaughter for the first time,” the source said, adding that Harry and Meghan’s return to Britain was “extraordinary”.The source explained the emotional significance of the meeting for King Charles. “It was very special to have some time with him. He had never met Lilibet, his granddaughter, and therefore meeting her for the first time was very emotional – it was a rare thing,” they added, emphasizing how meaningful the encounter was for the ex-Prince Charles.
Prince Harry’s expected return to the United Kingdom
Despite the ongoing family feud, Prince Harry is set to travel to the UK next week to celebrate the 1-year mark until the Invictus Games take place in Birmingham in 2027, proving his continued dedication to the sporting event.