How Do Meghan And Harry Really Feel About Their Meeting With Queen Elizabeth?
Anticipation was high in the weeks leading up to the queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, as she prepared not just to mark 70 years on the throne but to publicly reunite with royal defectors Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Although there were concerns that the Sussexes' presence at the event might overshadow the queen, certain experts suggested one photo op might save Meghan and Harry's relationship with the royals. Namely, a shot of the monarch with her namesake, baby Lilibet.
Page Six confirmed the two were finally introduced at Windsor Castle, close to where the celebrity couple stayed throughout the weekend, at Frogmore Cottage. However, no official photograph was released, because the Sussexes were prevented from taking one. A source told The Sun they "wanted their photographer to capture the moment Lilibet met the queen. But they were told no chance. It was a private family meeting." The couple did release a sweet shot of Lilibet for her first birthday, though.
Regardless of whether they were allowed capture the historic moment Lilibet met Lilibet, it seems Meghan and Harry's long-awaited reconciliation with the queen went rather swimmingly.
The Sussexes felt the visit went really well
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry aren't taking the intense and, sadly, inevitable backlash to their latest visit to the U.K. to heart. Instead, the celebrity couple is focusing on the positives of their weekend with the queen. According to a source, who spoke to Hollywood Life, "Their trip was a whirlwind and jam-packed from the moment they landed but it all went beautifully." As the insider explained, "Their whole aim was to show the queen their love and respect, and of course introducing her to Lili for the first time was a big highlight. Archie and Lili totally charmed her, getting to see her with them made the whole trip worth it."
Moreover, the Sussexes were grateful they got to spend Lilibet's birthday surrounded by their nearest and dearest, even if Prince William and Kate Middleton couldn't make it because they were involved in Jubilee celebrations elsewhere. The Cambridges did send their "well wishes" though, which Meghan and Harry really appreciated. As The Irish Times detailed, every aspect of the couple's behavior during the weekend was put under the microscope, from how they were dressed to the kind of car they travelled around London in, and even how the other royals reportedly reacted quite negatively to them at each official event.
In fact, royal experts even questioned Meghan and Harry's behavior surrounding security concerns. Thankfully, it seems they remain focused on what's truly important.
Were Meghan and Harry actually well received?
Perhaps there was trouble behind the scenes, however. Piers Morgan claimed Meghan and Harry's royal reunion wasn't as cordial as it seemed, per the Daily Mail, revealing there was "a lot of tension" surrounding the couple's arrival at the Jubilee. The outspoken TV personality cited his anonymous palace sources, who claimed the Sussexes had little interest in socializing at Trooping the Colour, while the rest of the royal family hung around chatting and catching up. Thus, the reception was "frosty" overall.
Morgan courted controversy when he shared shots of Prince Louis making faces over the weekend, on Twitter, suggesting he was actually reacting to Meghan. Although there was plenty of backlash, he confidently told the New York Post it proved his point. "The huge reaction to my tweet perfectly summarizes public opinion to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex," Morgan said, adding, "Most people laughed because they're now global laughing stocks after all their hypocritical money-grabbing royal-bashing antics."
As The Independent notes, numerous users chided the former "Good Morning Britain" host for his ongoing fixation on the Duchess of Sussex. Morgan's refusal to stop talking about Meghan publicly led to him losing his lucrative position on the hit talk show, but he's hardly slowed down since. Still, when it comes to what happened behind palace doors, we can probably trust the Sussexes. At least, until the queen contradicts their account.