An official for the Duchess and Duke of Sussex confirmed that the pair visited Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Harry’s grandmother. The visit occurred as they headed to The Hague, Neverlands, to go to The Invictus games. The games begin on Saturday.
In March, he stated that he had hoped to see his 95-year-old grandmother soon. The prince did not go to last month’s memorial service for his grandfather, Prince Philip. He decided to stay in California for the service. The service took place on March 29 at Westminster Abbey. He did not give a reason why he chose not to go.
The Couple’s Travels
The prince has returned to the United Kindom only twice after they departed for California. One occasion was for his grandfather’s funeral in April 2021, and the second occasion was to unveil a statue of his mother, Princess Diana.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markel moved to her home in California in March 2020. This was their first trip to the U.K. together since then. At the time, they had completed their final round of royal activities before officially stepping away from royal work.
The service marked the Queen’s first appearance in public in five months. Markel and Prince Harry’s visit happened as the Queen announced that she was left exhausted and tired after COVID-19.
She tested positive for the illness in February. Buckingham Palace confirmed that Prince Philip and the Queen got their first COVID-19 vaccine dose in January 2021.
The Queen has dealt with many health issues recently. She is celebrating her 70th year as Queen.
In March, she paused from all royal engagements after staying a night in a central London hospital. The doctors did preliminary tests and recommended that she rest for a few days.
Prince Harry Attends Invictus Games
Prince Harry and Markel are in the U.K. to attend his fifth Invictus Games. The games are to take place in the Dutch city of The Hague and are set to begin this weekend. The games this year were originally meant to take place in 2020. However, the games were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
An official for the couple confirmed that Markel would join the prince for the first several days of the games. The Invictus Games were founded by Prince Harry for veterans and injured service members.
This will not be Markel’s first experience with the Invictus Games. She joined the prince at the Toronto Games in 2017. That event marked their first appearance together. She was next to him again in 2018 when they attended the Sydney Games. Not long after, the couple announced that they were expecting their first child, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.
Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla
The couple was not noticed when they rode from their Frogmore Cottage near Windsor Castle on a day that many of Britain’s royal press were crowded outside of the estate’s St. George’s Chapel. This is where Prince Charles and Duchess of Cornwall Camilla stood in for the monarch at a customary coin-giving celebration. The event is also known as Maundy Service.
It is believed that it is the first time Prince Harry and his wife met with Duchess Camilla and Prince Charles since they relocated to California.
The couple is now in The Hague, Netherlands, preparing to attend the games on April 15. They will attend two events that mark the beginning of the Invictus Games. One of the receptions is for family and friends of competitors. The other event is for dignitaries.
Written by Marrissa Kay
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
CNN: Harry and Meghan visit Queen Elizabeth II on way to Invictus Games; by Max Foster and Amir Vera
People: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Visit Queen Elizabeth in the U.K. for First Joint Visit Since Moving to U.S.; by Stephanie Petit
BAZAAR: Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan Pay Secret Visit to the Queen Ahead of Invictus Games; by OMID SCOBIE
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of J_P_D’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inline Image Courtesy of Defence Imagery’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
