Prince Harry and the Queen Had a Surprisingly Informal Final Meeting About the Royal Exit

The upcoming royal biography Finding Freedom offers details about Prince Harry and the Queen's last lunch meeting before the royal exit.

  • Excerpts from a new royal biography about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal exit have been published by UK papers this weekend.
  • One excerpt, shared by The Times, offered details about Prince Harry's final private lunch with the Queen.
  • A royal aide told the book's authors that no titles were used at the informal, personal meeting.

In Finding Freedom: Harry, Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family, royal fans will be given an inside look at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's controversial royal exit. The book doesn't officially hit shelves (/Amazon) until August 11, but this weekend, excerpts published in The Times and Sunday Times are giving royal watchers a sneak peek at the book's contents.

One excerpt published in The Times details Harry's last lunch with his grandmother (poached salmon and salad at Windsor Castle, apparently), Queen Elizabeth, before the royal exit became officially.

"No titles," an aide said of the low-key, private lunch. "Just granny and grandson."

According to The Daily Mail, the excerpt goes on to explain:

"Sitting at the Queen's dining room in her Windsor Castle apartment, it was just like the old days.

While he had lost respect for parts of the institution, and even certain family members at points, the Queen was still one of the most important women in his life.

As they tucked into a roast lunch, the Queen made it clear to Harry that she would always support him in whatever he decided to do.

Though a 12-month trial period had already been promised to Harry earlier in the year, their conversation was also a reminder that should he and Meghan ever want to return to their roles, they were always welcome."

Only time will tell if Harry and Meghan decide to return to their lives as working royals, of course. And a much shorter amount of time will tell the impact that Finding Freedom has on the couple's relationship with the rest of the royal family.

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Kayleigh Roberts
Weekend Editor

Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with more than 10 years of professional experience. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.