Prince Harry was eager to meet his beloved Granny, the Queen, as soon as he realized Meghan Markle was “The One.”
The first meeting took place at Windsor Castle on short notice, and the American actress ended up receiving a crash course in curtseying from Harry’s aunt, Sarah Ferguson, in the front garden.
But as soon as she entered, the two women hit it off. They talked about each other’s jobs and lives in Canada.
During the visit, which lasted about 20 minutes, the Queen allegedly told Meghan that she could pursue her acting career if she so desired.
Gyles Brandreth, a close friend of Prince Philip, writes in his book Elizabeth: An intimate Portrait that Meghan used that meeting to make it clear to the Queen that she wanted to devote her entire attention to her royal duties.
She did everything she could to welcome her future granddaughter-in-law, the author writes. She was worried about her happiness in the future. The Queen told Meghan during their first encounter: “You can keep on being an actress if you like. After all, that’s your profession.”
“But Meghan was prepared for her role as a royal, and the Queen was naturally pleased. She was especially pleased with Meghan’s commitment to the Commonwealth and her promise to the Queen to carry out “whatever you think we should be doing for the Commonwealth.”
Additionally, Gyles asserts that Meghan made a promise to the Queen during the meeting that she hasn’t been able to fulfill.
She promised the Queen she wouldn’t let Her Majesty down when it came to the Commonwealth, he continues. The Queen praised Meghan and spread the word widely.
The Queen gave Meghan a crucial position within the Commonwealth soon after their wedding, demonstrating her clear belief in her. Meghan was chosen to serve as The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust’s vice president on International Women’s Day.
Photo: Getty Images
When they retired from their senior responsibilities, they hoped to continue their work within the Commonwealth. “We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honor our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages,” the couple stated in their statement announcing their decision to resign.
However, the Queen vetoed a “half in, half out” approach to royal life and decided they couldn’t participate in any official duties.
Meghan and Harry expressed their dissatisfaction after a year-long review of their new non-royal lives.
According to their spokesperson, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex “remain committed to their duty and service to the UK and around the world, as evidenced by their work over the past year. They have also offered their continued support to the organizations they have represented, regardless of their official roles. Any of us can lead a life of service. Service is offered to all.
When Meghan and Harry sat down with the BBC for their official engagement interview, Meghan talked about her first two encounters with the Queen.
She said: “I think it’s incredible to be able to meet her through his lens, not only with his respect and honor for her as the monarch, but also the love that he has for her as his grandmother, all of those layers have been so important for me so that when I met her I had such a deep understanding and of course incredible respect for being able to have that time with her.
She is a remarkable woman.
Harry also made light of the fact that his new girlfriend had taken even the corgis.
The corgis immediately warmed up to Meghan, he claimed. After 33 years of being yelled at, this person walks in and says nothing.
Harry responded, “Just wagging tails and I was just like ‘Argh,'” to Meghan’s comment that “just laying on my feet during tea, it was very sweet.”
Meghan, however, had a brief awkward moment when she thought Prince Andrew was the Queen’s personal assistant. In his autobiography Spare, he writes: “After a brief pause, Meg asked me a question regarding the Queen’s personal assistant. I enquired as to whom she was referring.
“That guy with the bag. She was escorted to the door by that man. Not her assistant, was it? Who was that?
According to the Daily Mail, Harry had to awkwardly inform Meghan that this wasn’t the late Queen’s personal assistant but rather her second eldest son.
The fact that she hadn’t Googled the royal family, in contrast, pleased him and he took it as a positive sign.
