The Queen has met her great-granddaughter, Lilibet Mountbatten Windsor, for the first time, according to reports.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are in London this weekend with their two children for the monarch’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
According to royal commentator Omid Scobie, co-author of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s biography Finding Freedom, the couple introduced their youngest child to the Queen on Thursday.
The meeting comes ahead of Lilibet’s first birthday on Saturday 4 June.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast on Friday, Scobie said: “I think people are expecting some sort of big birthday extravagant event, that we’re going to see photographs from. From what I’m told, we shouldn’t expect anything.
“Those moments with Lilibet are very much private between them and the Queen and of course we know how much she’s been looking forward to it.
“They’ve been held back by a pandemic. Of course the times that Harry has been here it’s just been by himself for quite sombre occasions. And so this really was the first time.”
Scobie continued: “Of course we know the Queen went back to Windsor Castle yesterday, the couple went back to Windsor as well where they’re staying at Frogmore Cottage.
“So that would have been the first moment or the first chance for her to meet her namesake.”
Scobie added that the couple are keen to be as “low-profile as possible” during the trip to the UK.
“I spoke with people close to the couple... who said that they want to be as low-profile as possible during this trip.
“It’s almost hard to believe, but I think yesterday Trooping the Colour was a great example. We didn’t really catch sight of them on TV cameras.”
The Sussexes are due to attend the thanksgiving service at St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday.
The Queen will, however, miss the service after experiencing “discomfort” during Thursday’s events.
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said the Queen “greatly enjoyed” her Trooping birthday parade, but had decided not to attend the service the following day.
The statement said: “Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow’s National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, Her Majesty, with great reluctance, has concluded that she will not attend.
“The Queen is looking forward to participating in tonight’s beacon lighting event at Windsor Castle, and would like to thank all those who made today such a memorable occasion.”
It is believed she experienced episodic mobility issues during the daytime events.
Also missing the service of thanksgiving is the Duke of York, who has contracted Covid-19.
A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace declined to comment.
