Late monarch said ‘no’ to capturing private moment during Jubilee reunion
During the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle introduced their daughter, Princess Lilibet, to Queen Elizabeth II for the very first time — a historic and emotional meeting that took place behind closed doors.
The couple reportedly hoped to commemorate the occasion with a photograph of the Queen and her great-granddaughter, but the monarch declined the request. According to The Sun, Her Majesty refused permission for a photo to be taken, with palace aides concerned that any images could be shared publicly or with American media outlets.
“It was a private family meeting,” an insider said at the time. “There were fears any photos of the Queen and Lilibet taken by the couple’s photographer would be shared by them with US television networks.”
In his memoir Spare, Prince Harry reflected on the touching moment, describing how young Archie bowed to the Queen and how Lilibet cuddled her great-grandmother’s legs.
“Sweetest children,” the Queen reportedly said, “sounding bemused. She’d expected them to be a bit more... American, I think?”
Despite the significance of the gathering — and the symbolic weight of Lilibet meeting her namesake — the Sussexes chose not to publicly share many details, keeping the moment largely private out of respect for the Queen’s wishes.
