How Will Queen Elizabeth Welcome Meghan And Harry Back To The UK Amid Jubilee Drama?
A very special week is coming up for Queen Elizabeth II. The 96-year-old queen, who marked 70 years on the throne on February 6, 2022 (via Vogue), will see her official Platinum Jubilee celebration weekend begin on Thursday, June 2 (via the BBC). Celebrating Britain's longest-reining monarch is sure to be a joyous occasion.
The arrival of her grandson, Prince Harry, along with his wife, Meghan Markle, and their two small children, Archie and Lilibet, will be a special treat for the queen that many thought would not happen. The couple left the United Kingdom and their royal duties behind in early 2020 (via the BBC), eventually settling into life in Meghan's native Southern California (via Vogue). In early May, confirmation came that the family would be flying back across the pond to celebrate with the queen during her jubilee weekend (via Today), and Her Majesty has very special wishes on how they should be welcomed.
The queen is ready to welcome her family with love
According to the Daily Mail, Queen Elizabeth II wants her Platinum Jubilee weekend to be a joyous affair both for the country and the royal family. After a year filled with scandals that includes her second son, Prince Andrew, settling a lawsuit with a woman accusing him of sexual assault (via CBS News) and the ongoing "royal rift" between Prince Harry and Prince William, it makes sense that the queen would want her Jubilee to be free of all that drama.
In fact, the queen intends to warmly welcome Harry, Meghan Markle, and their two young children. This will be the first time the Queen will also have the chance to meet Harry and Meghan's youngest, Lilibet, who was born on June 4, 2021 (via Business Insider). Since the Platinum Jubilee celebrations will take place during Lilibet's first birthday, the Daily Mail also reports that the Queen will take time to celebrate the royal tot, who was named for her great-grandmother.
"Her Majesty is typically very keen that the Platinum Jubilee be a celebration not of herself and her own longevity, but of the institution of the monarchy and the people that support and sustain it," a source told The Daily Mail. "It is also a chance for people to come together after a very difficult period for this country. She doesn't want anything to overshadow it — and that includes any family issues."