The Duchess of Sussex couldn't hold back her grief at the Queen's state funeral, breaking down in tears as she joined the rest of the Royal Family to watch the historic procession. Meghan Markle stood at her husband Prince Harry 's side during the emotional and moving day, wiping her tear-stained face as she struggled to contain her emotions.
Despite ongoing rift between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and The Firm following their departure from royal life in 2021, Meghan shared some tender moments with her grandmother-in-law before her passing.
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The sudden plans to withdraw from senior royal duties paired with the bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview undoubtedly added tensions between the couple and the late monarch, but despite wanting to part ways with royal life, the Duchess always spoke highly of the late Queen - even comparing her to her own grandmother.
Much like the Princess of Wales and Queen Consort, Meghan chose to honour the Queen through her choice of jewellery at the state funeral, as she plumped for a stunning set of pearl earrings that Her Majesty gifted her ahead of their only solo royal engagement in June 2018.
Meghan previously wore the same earrings to a special funeral procession for the late Queen at Westminster Hall on September 14.
The Duchess' sleek black Stella McCartney cape dress also held sentimental value, as she has previously worn the exact same ensemble - just in navy - at a concert at London's Royal Albert Hall to celebrate the Queen's 92nd birthday in 2018.
During the tell-all interview with Oprah which aired in 2021, the Duchess of Sussex claimed that the monarchy had failed to support her when she struggled with her mental health while working as a royal.
But despite strongly criticising The Firm, Meghan made it clear that her love and admiration for the late Queen superseded her struggles within the monarchy, as she insisted that the 'Queen has always been wonderful to me'.
Following the Queen's historical state funeral where Meghan was clearly struck by grief, we look back at the Duchess' relationship with the late monarch - from sweet blunders during their first meeting to fits of laughter during royal engagements.
First meeting surprise
During the controversial interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, Meghan admitted that she was unprepared for royal protocol ahead of meeting the Queen as she hadn't researched the monarchy beforehand.
In 2017, Prince Harry and Meghan were due to have lunch at the Royal Lodge, home of Prince Andrew and his former wife Sarah Ferguson, in Windsor.
While travelling to lunch, the couple soon realised that the late Queen would be in attendance - but Meghan was none the wiser when it came to the royal traditions surrounding such a meeting, as she "didn't fully understand what the job was" when she first started dating Harry.
This lack of knowledge meant Meghan had no idea she would be expected to curtsy to the monarch, which led to a last minute royal lesson from Sarah Ferguson right at the front of the house.
Meghan recounted: "And I remember Harry and I are in the car and he says, 'okay, well, my, my grandmother's there. So you're going to meet her.'"
But the Duchess was taken aback when Harry asked if she knew how to curtsy.
She said: "I thought that was part of the fanfare. I don't think that's what happens inside. And I said, but it's your grandmother. He goes, it's the Queen."
Meghan then had to learn the ropes "very quickly" as she recalled "Right in front of the house we practised and ran in".
"Fergie ran out and said, 'Do you know how to curtsy?'... Apparently, I did a very deep curtsy, I don’t remember it, and then we sat there and we chatted," the Duchess of Sussex continued.
Despite the initial hiccup, the first meet reportedly went well and Her Majesty officially gave the couple her blessing to marry in a statement later that year.
Wedding jewellery
Following Meghan and Harry's breathtaking wedding at St George's Chapel in 2018, Meghan looked back on the 'surreal' moment the Queen helped her pick out her wedding tiara at Buckingham Palace.
The 41-year-old said that the monarch's suggestion of the Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau tiara was the 'perfect' choice as it was 'incredibly timeless' yet 'still modern'.
Speaking about the royal jewels in a recording for an exhibition at Windsor Castle in October 2018, the Duchess of Sussex said: "When it came to the tiara on the day, I was very fortunate to be able to choose this gorgeous art deco style bandeau tiara.
"Harry and I had gone to Buckingham Palace to meet with Her Majesty The Queen to select one of the options that were there, which was an incredibly surreal day as you can imagine.
Explaining how she knew the tiara was the perfect piece for her big day, Meghan continued: "I think it was just perfect because it was so clean and simple - and also to that point, an extension of what Clare and I had been trying to do with the dress which was have something that could be so incredibly timeless but still feel modern".
Prince Harry admitted he 'shouldn't have really been there' on the day but praised his grandmother's generosity when lending the tiara for the wedding.
He said: "It's every girl’s dream to be able to try on a tiara. Funnily enough, [it was] the one that suited the best, the one that looked the best on you without question.
"I shouldn’t have really even been there, but such an incredible loan by my grandmother, it was very sweet…"
Solo outing with sweet gift
After her wedding, the newly-appointed Duchess of Sussex joined the Queen for their first solo royal engagement in June 2018, where they travelled to Cheshire after spending the night together on a royal train.
The regal pair were met by flag-bearing crowds when they arrived at Runcorn station, as the public cheered for Meghan and her new grandmother-in-law.
The duo swiftly came together just over a month after Meghan's royal wedding, while the Princess of Wales didn't enjoy her first solo engagement with the late monarch until almost a year after her marriage to Prince William.
To mark the momentous occasion, the Queen wore one of her signature bright hues as she donned a lime green coat and a matching hat while out and about in Cheshire with Meghan.
Her Majesty was seen giggling with the Duchess of Sussex as they enjoyed the special solo moment together.
Ahead of the visit, the Queen gifted the Duchess a stunning pair of pearl earrings which the newlywed wore for the occasion.
Meghan has worn the same sentimental jewellery on multiple occasions since the Queen passed away, including during the state funeral, as a fitting ode to her grandmother-in-law.
Queen's corgis loved Meghan
The late monarch was renowned for her passion for corgis, as she owned and bred many throughout her life. She was rarely spotted without one by her side and owned up to 10 at any given time.
The Queen's corgis would regularly circle her feet in official photographs, showing just how much she loved her beloved dogs.
Further cementing Meghan's relationship with the Queen, Prince Harry once spoke of the Duchess of Sussex' instant connection with his grandmother's much-loved pets.
In a BBC interview following their engagement, Harry revealed: "The corgis took to you straight away. For the last 33 years, I’ve been barked at, and this one walks in, absolutely nothing, just wagging tails".
His wife-to-be Meghan agreed, saying, "[They were] just laying on my feet during tea, it was very sweet."
The admiration for each other's pets seemed to be mutual, as the monarch appeared to take a particular liking to Meghan's dog Guy, a beagle rescue.
The canine was spotted riding alongside the late monarch in her car in Windsor in 2018, ahead of Meghan and Harry's wedding.
Phone calls and kind words
During the bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan had nothing but kind words to say about the late Queen despite her reservations about the monarchy itself.
The Duchess of Sussex revealed that stepping down from senior royal duties allowed her and Harry to act more candidly with the royal family, as they didn't have to focus on protocol or traditions.
Meghan shared that she called the Queen without a second thought following the news that Prince Philip was admitted to hospital in 2021.
She said: "I just pick up the phone and I call the Queen – just to check in.
"That's what we do, it’s like being able to default to not having to every moment go ‘Is that appropriate?'."
In a post-engagement interview with the BBC, Meghan shared some of the most powerful words she's ever said about the Queen.
She told the interviewer: "It’s incredible. I think… to be able to meet her through his lens, not just with his honor and respect for her as the monarch, but the love that he has for her as his grandmother.
"All of those layers have been so important for me. When I met her, I had such a deep understanding and of course incredible respect for being able to have that time with her. She’s an incredible woman".
