Read the Surprise Letter Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Just Wrote to Their Most Devoted Fan

Prince Harry has a very important BFF named Daphne Dunne, who's an Australian war widow. They first met in 2015 when he was deployed to Australia, and the two have remained close since. Per HELLO!, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex took the time to send a (totally unexpected) letter to Daphne as she just celebrated a very important birthday.

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The Duke And Duchess Of Sussex Visit Australia - Day 1
(Image credit: Trevor Goddard)

For those of you not in the know, Prince Harry has a very important BFF named Daphne Dunne, who's an (adorably sweet) Australian war widow. They first met in 2015 when he was deployed to Australia, and the two have remained close since—Harry made sure Meghan got to meet her when they visited Australia in 2018. Per HELLO!, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex took the time to send a totally unexpected letter to Daphne as she just celebrated a very important birthday.

"Dear Daphne, my wife and I send our warmest wishes to you on the occasion of your 99th birthday on Friday." It went on: "We hope you have a wonderful celebration surrounded by family and friends and that you've managed to escape hospital." (Bawww!)

"Congratulations on reaching this important and impressive milestone before your centenary year next year. Happy Birthday Daphne. Best wishes, Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex."

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Apparently, Daphne is suffering a serious illness, but the letter served to brighten her spirits. I love that Harry and Meghan are sending her good vibes to reach the big 100.

Harry and Meghan have made it clear they want to continue the relationship, too. Last time Daphne saw them, the three spent some time chatting and laughing together. Meghan even said, "Hopefully the next time we see you we'll have our little one with us."

Here's a pic of the first time Harry met Daphne while he was deployed in 2015 (they apparently bonded because he noticed the Victoria Cross she was wearing which was awarded posthumously to her husband):

Army, People, Military, Soldier, Event, Military uniform, Marines, Law enforcement, Crowd, Military organization,

(Image credit: Chris Jackson)

And here's a close-up of Meghan meeting her in Australia on last year's royal tour:

Event, Community, Pink, Crowd, Tree, Recreation, Tradition, Tourism,

(Image credit: Samir Hussein)

I mean, I'm not NOT crying.

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Event, Community, Pink, Crowd, Tree, Recreation, Tradition, Tourism,

(Image credit: Samir Hussein)

Meghan Met Harry's 98-Year-Old Aussie BFF

Katherine J. Igoe
Katherine J. Igoe
Contributing Editor

Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award. 

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.