Meghan Markle thanks aide for help with floral tributes

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II as they mourn her death this week. After her passing was announced, Prince Harry hailed his grandmother as a “guiding compass” and praised her “service and duty.” He also added: “Granny, while this final parting brings us great sadness, I am forever grateful for all of our first meetings—from my earliest childhood memories with you, to meeting you for the first time as my Commander-in-Chief, to the first moment you met my darling wife and hugged your beloved great-grandchildren.”

The Sussexes’ relationship with the Royal Family has been strained during the last few years after the couple decided to leave behind royal duties in 2020. While there have been reports of tension between different family members, expert Victoria Arbiter told the Independent that the Queen always had affection for Harry and Meghan.

She said: “The relationship between them [was] good. The Queen is very pragmatic, and, at the end of the day, she adores her family. She wants them to be happy.

“She [was] very glad for Harry and Meghan, who are now living the kind of life they hoped to achieve. But she missed them terribly and wished things hadn’t quite gone as combative as they had.

“But she doesn’t hold it against them. At the end of the day, Harry is a beloved grandson, and she wants him to be happy and live a happy life. He went [to the US] with her blessing.”

Meghan has always spoken positively about the Queen. Even during the Sussexes’ famous interview with Oprah Winfrey last year, they both sought to dismiss any suggestion that they had fallen out with Her Majesty.

Addressing reports that the couple had “blindsided” the Queen by announcing they were leaving the Royal Family without first informing her, Harry said: “No, I would never blindside my grandmother, I have too much respect for her.”

Meghan, meanwhile, told a heartwarming story about a time when the Queen shared her blanket with her: “I just really loved being in her company. We were in the car going between engagements. And she has a blanket that sits across her knees for warmth, and it was chilly. And she was like, ‘Meghan, come on’, and put it over my knees as well.

“It made me think of my grandmother, where she’s always been warm and inviting and really welcoming.”

It has been reported this week that Harry and Meghan could fly their children Archie and Lilibet to the UK for the Queen’s funeral, which will take place on Monday, September 19.

At the moment, the children, three and one years old, are with Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland. But the Telegraph reports that the Sussexes are considering flying the children and Meghan’s mother out to the UK.

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Meghan and Harry have been away from their children longer than anticipated. Prior to the Queen’s death, they had already come to the UK to support various charities and attend events.

When they heard the news that the Queen’s health was deteriorating, the Sussexes travelled up to Balmoral to be with her. Sadly, only King Charles and Princess Anne were able to make it before she passed, as reported by the Mirror.

Prince William and Kate, now the Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex also arrived after she had passed.

On Sunday, Harry and Meghan joined Prince William and Princess Kate to meet crowds in Windsor.

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