Queen Elizabeth Was 'Thrilled' Meeting Princess Lilibet During Their Only Encounter Before Her Death
Queen Elizabeth Was 'Thrilled' Meeting Princess Lilibet During Their Only Encounter Before Her Death
Laura Rizzo ChaganiFri, April 10, 2026 at 2:22 AM UTC
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Queen Elizabeth II was lucky enough to meet one of her youngest great-grandchildren, Princess Lilibet, shortly before she died in 2022.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who share son PrinceArchie and daughter Lilibet, had been living in the United States for nearly two years before their family of four made a trip to the U.K. for a series of events marking the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in June 2022.
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Robert Hardman gave details about one of the final times the royal family gathered to celebrate Elizabeth’s 70th year on the throne in his biography, Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. Her Story.
"The Queen would finally get to meet Lilibet and was thrilled, say friends, as the 1-year-old crawled around her feet," Hardman writes in his upcoming book, out May 19.
The Duke of Sussex, 41, also recalled the special meeting with Archie, now 6, and Lilibet, now 4, which marked the only time the Queen spent time in person with her great-granddaughter, before her death at the age of 96. The Duke of Sussex said he reflected on those happy memories in the days following Elizabeth’s death in September 2022.
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 26: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Queen Elizabeth II at the Queen's Young Leaders Awards Ceremony at Buckingham Palace on June 26, 2018 in London, England. The Queen's Young Leaders Programme, now in its fourth and final year, celebrates the achievements of young people from across the Commonwealth working to improve the lives of people across a diverse range of issues including supporting people living with mental health problems, access to education, promoting gender equality, food scarcity and climate change. (Photo by John Stillwell - WPA Pool/Getty Images)John Stillwell - WPA Pool/Getty Images
"I also couldn’t stop picturing [the children] with Granny. The final visit. Archie making deep, chivalrous bows, his baby sister Lilibet cuddling the monarch’s shins," Harry wrote in his memoir, Spare. “‘Sweetest children,’ Granny said, sounding bemused. She’d expected them to be a bit more … American, I think? Meaning, in her mind, more rambunctious.”
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While that was the final time Archie and Lilibet would spend with the monarch, Elizabeth was able to gather her other great-grandchildren at Balmoral in summer 2022.
"The Queen wanted all the great-grandchildren to come up to Balmoral at some point over that summer, even if the Sussexes might not be able to make it," Hardman writes, per an excerpt published by the Daily Mail. “She wanted to make sure that they all had a really happy memory of her,' explained a friend of the family.”
Harry has spoken extensively about his special bond with Elizabeth, whom he affectionately referred to as “granny.” He wrote more about their happy memories together in Spare.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Harry share a joke as they watch Prince Charles and his bride Camilla Duchess of Cornwall leave St George's Chapel in Windsor following their marriage blessing, 09 April 2005. Prince Charles and his longtime sweetheart Camilla Parker Bowles married today after two months of muddled preparations and a lifetime of waiting. (Photo credit should read ALASTAIR GRANT/AFP via Getty Images)ALASTAIR GRANT/AFP via Getty Images
"Stationed beside her on the balcony, saying something that caught her off guard and made her, despite the solemnity of the occasion, laugh out loud," he recalled before mentioning a 2016 video he made with Elizabeth to promote the Invictus Games, which included President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama.
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"Making a silly video for the first Invictus Games, discovering that she was a natural comedienne,” Harry wrote. "People around the world howled, and said they’d never suspected she possessed such a wicked sense of humor — but she did, she always did! That was one of our little secrets. In fact, in every photo of us, whenever we’re exchanging a glance, making solid eye contact, it’s clear: We had secrets."
This story was originally published by Parade on Apr 10, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
