
- Meghan Markle and the Queen got on swimmingly as soon as they met, royal biographers Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand write in new Sussex biography Finding Freedom.
- Their first meeting ran over schedule by 10 minutes—a huge deal for the famously punctual Queen.
- "The conversation flowed naturally" between the future Duchess and the monarch, Scobie and Durand write.
Meghan Markle and the Queen's close relationship has been widely reported on, so it's little surprise that their first official meeting was a roaring success, according to royal biographers Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand in new book Finding Freedom. In fact, they got on so well that the meeting ran 10 minutes over schedule, a rarity for the Queen.
As Hello! reports, Scobie and Durand reveal that the future Duchess of Sussex officially met the Queen on October 12, 2017 (though they'd had a fleeting encounter earlier that year, when Meghan and Harry "literally bumped into her"). The meeting took place in the Queen's private apartments in Buckingham Palace. "Harry and Meghan rode the Queen's elevator—a stunning wrought-iron lift from the previous century—up to the monarch's private entrance," the royal correspondents write. "The inner sanctum of the Queen's private apartment was not at all what Meghan expected. Not that she really knew what to expect."
"Harry kissed his grandmother on both cheeks as they walked into her sitting room. Meghan knew she needed to curtsy and had practised a dozen times before that day," Scobie and Durand continue. In reality, she had no need to worry: "The truth was that the sovereign was simply delighted for Harry."
The first sign that things would go well: The Queen's corgis, Candy and Vulcan, were immediate fans of Meghan (and a dog's judgment is second to none.) "As the dogs lay at her feet and wagged their tails, Meghan was also put at ease by the Queen, as warm and loving as Harry had told her his grandmother would be. The conversation flowed naturally before Meghan had to leave." Adorable!
Emily Dixon is a British journalist who’s contributed to CNN, Teen Vogue, Time, Glamour, The Guardian, Wonderland, The Big Roundtable, Bust, and more, on everything from mental health to fashion to political activism to feminist zine collectives. She’s also a committed Beyoncé, Kacey Musgraves, and Tracee Ellis Ross fan, an enthusiastic but terrible ballet dancer, and a proud Geordie lass.
-
The Perfumer Behind Last Year's Most Talked-About Fragrance Just Released Another Perfect Scent
Aqua Media Cologne forte embodies a feeling of balance and harmony.
By Deena Campbell
-
'Yellowface' Is Our June Book Club Pick
Read an excerpt from R.F. Kuang's latest novel, here, then dive in with us throughout the month.
By Brooke Knappenberger
-
I Scoured the Summer Runways—Here Are the Six Shoe Trends Actually Worth Buying
Hit the ground running this season.
By Emma Childs
-
Prince William Not Expected to Invite Prince Harry to His Coronation, Friend Claims
That doesn't sound good.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
We Finally Know Where the Earthshot Prize 2023 Will Take Place
Let's go!
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Princess Kate Is Seen Skipping Happily With Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte in Behind-the-Scenes Footage
This is too cute.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Prince Harry Blames 'Daily Mirror' Publishers for Chelsy Davy Breakup in Court Documents
The court case began this week.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Tabloid Stories About Prince Harry Came From Members of the Royal Family, 'Daily Mirror' Publisher Claims
These claims could corroborate previous statements from Harry.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Princess Kate Hugged a Little Girl Who Burst Into Tears During Windsor Walkabout, And Told Her Mom to Get Her an Ice Cream
So cute!!!
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Here's How Princess Kate Kept an Eye on Prince Louis During the Coronation, According to a Body Language Expert
Smart.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Prince Louis Was Filmed Eating a S'more So Delicious It Literally Made Him "Weak at the Knees"
Oh, Louis.
By Iris Goldsztajn