Prince Harry and Meghan Markle introduced baby Lilibet to the Queen during the Platinum Jubilee, but their request to capture the sentimental moment was firmly denied
The late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee wasn’t just a milestone moment for the monarchy – it was also a special occasion for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. While the nation toasted Her Majesty’s 70-year reign in June 2022, the Sussexes were celebrating a family first: introducing their daughter, Princess Lilibet, to her great-grandmother for the very first time.
Lilibet – named after the Queen’s childhood nickname – was in the UK with her parents for the festivities, which also coincided with her first birthday. To mark the occasion, Harry and Meghan hosted a relaxed garden bash at Frogmore Cottage, complete with face painting and family vibes in the Windsor sunshine.
But according to reports at the time, one birthday wish didn’t come true, and it involved the Queen herself. The Sun reported that the couple were keen to have a photographer on hand to capture the touching moment when the Queen met her great-granddaughter.
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But the request was flatly refused. “Harry and Meghan wanted their photographer to capture the moment Lilibet met the Queen. But they were told no chance. It was a private family meeting,” an unnamed insider revealed.
The reason behind the decision? Palace aides were reportedly wary that any snaps could end up in the hands of US broadcasters. According to the same insider: “There were fears any photos of the Queen and Lilibet taken by the couple’s photographer would be shared by them with US telly networks.”
In his memoir Spare , Harry opened up about how deeply he cherished that meeting between his children and the Queen – especially in hindsight, following her death later that year. Reflecting on the tender moment, he wrote: “Archie making his deep bows, his baby sister Lilibet cuddling the monarch’s shins. Sweetest children, Granny said, sounding bemused. She’d expected them to be a bit more … American, I think? Meaning in her mind, more rambunctious.”
While the Sussexes have kept most of the details around that meeting private, new revelations emerged via legal proceedings involving Prince Harry and the publishers of the Daily Mail, Associated News Limited.
As part of a summary judgment in his libel claim, a letter penned by the Queen’s private secretary came to light – and it shed light on the monarch’s ongoing concern for Harry and his family, even after they stepped back from royal duties.
“You will understand well that ensuring that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain safe is of paramount importance to Her Majesty and her family,” the letter stated. It went on to stress: “Given the duke’s public profile by virtue of being born into the royal family, his military service, the duchess’s own independent profile and the well-documented history of targeting of the Sussex family by extremists, it is imperative that the family continues to be provided with effective security.”
So while there may have been no official photo of that special meeting between two the Lilibets, one thing is clear, Harry’s family’s wellbeing remained firmly at the top of the Queen’s priority list.
