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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's secret visit to Queen after covid battle
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been spotted together on UK soil for the first time since their dramatic exit from royal life two years ago.
The couple quietly flew into the country to visit the Queen while on their way to The Netherlands for the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games this weekend.
They were seen walking up to Windsor Castle on Thursday by a bus full of church-goers on their way to the annual Royal Maundy service, which is held on the Thursday before Good Friday and was attended by Prince Charles and Camilla this year.
The 95-year-old Queen was due to attend the service herself but ‘regretfully’ had to pull out. It’s only the fifth time in Her Majesty’s 70-year reign that she hasn't attended the Maundy service.
One onlooker who saw the couple told The Sun, "I couldn’t believe it when I saw who it was. We waved and they waved back."
"They looked happy and relaxed and waved to everyone on the bus. Charles and the Queen were at Windsor Castle at the same time so they must have met them both."
Meghan Markle's long awaited return
Harry hadn’t seen the Queen in person since he attended his grandfather Prince Phillip’s funeral in April last year, and was noticeably absent at this year’s memorial service.
Meanwhile, this is the first time former Suits star Meghan has returned to the UK since she and Harry left royal life and sat down for that explosive Oprah interview. Although she’s said that she often speaks to the Queen over the phone, Meghan hadn't seen the monarch since a Commonwealth Day service back in March 2020.
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Not much is known about the covert visit but it’s understood the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stayed at Frogmore Cottage, the Windsor residence they used to call home, and that they also saw Harry's dad, Prince Charles.
It seems their two kids Archie, who will be three next month, and Lilibet, 10 months, were not with them, and that the trip was very brief, with the pair flying in on Wednesday and having already left the country.
A spokesperson for Prince Harry confirmed that the couple stopped in the UK on their way to The Netherlands for the upcoming Invictus Games, which start on Saturday April 16.
Majesty Magazine's editor-in-chief Ingrid Seward, described the visit as an opportunity to reconcile.
"It is a wonderful opportunity to clear the air and offer an olive branch," she said, "After everything that has gone on it must have taken a lot for Harry and Meghan to go to Windsor."
Queen's health concerns
The covert visit comes as the Queen continues to recover from a recent covid infection which left her feeling "very tired and exhausted".
She’s been forced to pull out of several engagements recently and missed last month's Commonwealth Day ceremony due to concerns about her 'comfort'.
The monarch, who will celebrate her 96th birthday next week, has been experiencing some mobility issues and has been using a walking stick over the past six months. However, she was able to walk unaided at the memorial service for her late husband Prince Philip on March 29.
She walked into Westminster Abbey arm-in-arm with her son Prince Andrew, and after reaching the end of the aisle, she confidently walked the remaining steps alone.
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