Meghan Markle donned a pair of pearl earrings given to her by the Queen as she supported her husband Prince Harry and other members of the royal family and took part in the Queen’s funeral procession today.
The US-based Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who have remained in the UK following what was supposed to be a whistlestop tour of Europe having stepped back from royal duty last year, joined other members of The Firm for the occasion in London today.
While Prince Harry, 37, marched behind the Queen’s coffin alongside King Charles and his brother Prince William, Meghan was pictured travelling in the procession by car.
The royal mother-of-two swept her dark locks into an updo, and appeared to be wearing a set of pearl earrings for the outing today.
The Duchess appeared to be wearing a set of pearl earrings which were given to her shortly after she married Prince Harry in 2018. She wore the jewels for her only solo engagement with the Queen in June 2018.
This is the last time the Queen’s body will be moved before her funeral on Monday at Westminster Abbey. After the ceremony, it will be taken to her final resting place, her beloved Windsor Castle.
It comes after the couple joined other members of the royal family in receiving the Queen’s coffin at Buckingham Palace last night.
Meghan Markle appeared stoic today as she supported her husband Prince Harry and other members of the royal family and took part in the Queen’s funeral procession
She travelled in the procession from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster in London alongside the Countess of Wessex
The royal mother-of-two swept her dark locks into an updo, and appeared to be wearing a set of pearl earrings for the outing today
The Queen arrives at Westminster Hall, built almost 1,000 years ago and where previous monarchs have lied in state
Queen Elizabeth II arrives at Westminster Hall from Buckingham Palace for her lying in state
The Queen is placed in Westminster Hall to lie in state for the nation to pay their respects
Her Majesty was carried on the gun carriage that had also borne her parents when they died 50 years apart
Her coffin was carried through Palace Yard and into the ancient heart of the Palace of Westminster
The Queen’s imperial state crown laid on top of a cushion, above her coffin, during the emotional funeral procession this afternoon
Meghan was given the earrings ahead of her first, and only ever, solo engagement with the monarch, which took place in Cheshire in 2018.
On the occasion, the two women had gone on an overnight rail trip to Cheshire in 2018, and were pictured smiling together during a ceremony to open the new Mersey Gateway Bridge.
They had been greeted by cheering crowds in Chester, and also joined the rest of Britain in observing a minute’s silence to remember the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire on its first anniversary.
During the explosive Oprah interview last year, Meghan spoke about the Queen’s gift and how much it meant to her. The Duchess of Sussex told Oprah Winfrey that the monarch had given her some ‘beautiful’ pearl earrings and a matching necklace.
She told Oprah: ‘The Queen, for example, has always been wonderful to me. I mean, we had one of our first joint engagements together. She asked me to join her.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex walked out hand-in-hand as they left Westminster Hall this afternoon following the event (pictured)
The royal mother-of-two could be seen carrying a service sheet as well as a pair of gloves as she left the ceremony in London today
The Duchess stood alongside the Countess of Wessex and kept her head bowed as the service progressed this afternoon (pictured)
Camilla Queen Consort, Catherine Princess of Wales, Sophie Countess of Wessex, and Meghan Duchess of Sussex at the coffin procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex stands in Westminster Hall after participating in the procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth, London, Wednesday
The Duchess appeared deep in thought during the ceremony today as she stood alongside her husband the Duke of Sussex
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall watched by her bereft family today
The Duchess appeared sombre for the occasion, and watched on as Her Majesty’s coffin was carried into the room (pictured far left) . She was seen dipping into a low curtsey as the coffin was carried past her inside the hall
The Duchess was pictured sinking into a low curtsey as the Queen’s coffin was carried past her this afternoon (pictured)
Meghan stood behind the Prince and Princess of Wales inside Westminster Hall this afternoon (pictured, with Kate Middleton)
Arriving into the hall, she joined the procession of other members of the royal family, including the Princess of Wales and Countess of Wessex
Meghan joined other members of the royal family, including King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla, at the ceremony this afternoon (pictured)
Peter Phillips, the Duke of Sussex, the Prince of Wales, the Earl of Wessex, the Earl of Snowdon, the Duchess of Sussex, the Princess Royal, King Charles III, the Duke of York, the Princess of Wales and the Countess of Wessex follow the bearer party carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II into Westminster Hall, London
Other members of the royal family including Zara Tindall, with her husband Mike, Princess Eugenie, with her husband Jack Brooksbank, and Princess Beatrice, with her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi
Britain’s King Charles III, Britain’s Prince William, Britain’s Princess Anne, salute the coffin. Prince Harry and Prince Andrew – no longer frontline royals, did not
King Charles III, the Princess Royal and the Prince of Wales, salute as the bearer party carry the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II into Westminster Hall
Her Majesty was carried on the gun carriage that had also borne her parents when they died 50 years apart
The procession of the coffin of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth enters the Houses of Parliament for her lying in state
‘We had breakfast together that morning, and she’d given me a beautiful gift, and I just really loved being in her company. And I remember we were in the car.’
Oprah asked her what the gift was, and Meghan replied: ‘She gave me some beautiful pearl earrings and a matching necklace.
‘We were in the car going between engagements, and she has a blanket that sits across her knees for warmth.
‘And it was chilly, and she was like, ‘Meghan, come on,’ and put it over my knees, as well.’ Oprah replied ‘nice’.
After sitting next to Sophie in the car on the way to the service today, Meghan joined other members in the royal family inside Westminster Hall.
The Countess of Wessex and the Duchess of Sussex travelled side-by-side during the funeral procession in London earlier this afternoon
The royal mother-of-two swept her dark locks into an updo, and appeared to be wearing a set of pearl earrings for the outing today
The Duchess appeared to be wearing a set of pearl earrings which were given to her shortly after she married Prince Harry in 2018. She wore the jewels for her only solo engagement with the Queen in June 2018
The Duchess of Sussex was sitting in a car during the funeral procession today, and was joined by the Countess of Wessex
Sophie, Countess of Wessex is driven in a car alongside the Duchess of Sussex during the procession for the Lying-in State of Queen Elizabeth II on September 14, 2022 in London, England
The Duchess appeared sombre for the occasion, and watched on as Her Majesty’s coffin was carried into the room. She was seen dipping into a low curtsey as the coffin was carried past her inside the hall.
Following the service today, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex walked out hand-in-hand as they left Westminster Hall.
Today’s occasion is not only heavy with historical significance, but it saw Prince William and Prince Harry set aside their feud to support their father by marching with him behind the coffin. Hundreds of thousands of well-wishers are expected to line the route as they do so.
The procession poignantly passed the statue of the Queen’s parents King George VI and the Queen Mother which overlooks The Mall. The Imperial State Crown, worn by the Queen on the way back to Buckingham Palace after her Coronation, glittered in the daylight as the crowds held aloft their phones to capture the scenes.
A sombre King waved to huge crowds who had gathered along the Mall today as he arrived at Buckingham Palace hours before he was due to lead William, Harry and senior royals in a poignant procession behind the Queen’s coffin.
The extraordinary scene as the procession leaves Buckingham Palace – the Queen’s home for most of her 96-year life
The Queen’s funeral cortege makes its way along The Mall from Buckingham Palace during the procession for the Lying-in State of Queen Elizabeth II followed by her bereft family
The Royal Family follow Her Majesty the Queen from Buckingham Palace as she is handed to the nation
Funerl marches played as the Queen was borne on a carriage that also carried her father in 1952 and her mother in 2002
The Queen’s coffin was adorned with the glittering, priceless Imperial State Crown on a purple velvet cushion
The Queen’s four children walked side-by-side behind the Monarch’s coffin/ King Charles, Princess Anne and Prince Edward were in their military uniform. Prince Andrew wore a morning coat
Camilla arrived at Buckingham Palace moment before the procession began. The gun carriage, which carried the Queen’s coffin, was followed by members of the royal family
The King was seen walking side-by-side with this siblings behind the Queen’s coffin during the poignant procession this afternoon
King Charles and his heir the Prince of Wales, who followed his father on yet another emotional day for the royal
Meanwhile Queen Consort and Britain’s Catherine, Princess of Wales are driven behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, adorned with a Royal Standard and the Imperial State Crown and pulled by a Gun Carriage of The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, during a procession from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster, in London
Queen Consort (L) and Britain’s Catherine, Princess of Wales are driven behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, adorned with a Royal Standard and the Imperial State Crown and pulled by a Gun Carriage of The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, during a procession from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster
Kate Middleton joined the new Queen Consort in the car for the funeral procession earliert today
The crowd burst into applause and cheers as the state Rolls-Royce passed the Victoria Memorial and dropped Charles off at the royal residence.
Later, the eyes of the world were once again on the King as he walked with family members to Westminster Hall – the ancient building at the heart of the Palace of Westminster where his mother will lie in state.
The royal family accompanied their matriarch on foot on the journey to Westminster Hall this afternoon where hundreds of thousands of people are expected to pay their respects after queueing for hours.
Charles, the Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex, along with the Duke of York, the Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex, are forming part of the procession.
Anne’s son Peter Phillips and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence are also walking behind the procession, as well as the Duke of Gloucester and the Earl of Snowdon.
The Queen Consort, the Princess of Wales, the Countess of Wessex and the Duchess of Sussex are travelling by car. The procession left the palace at 2.22pm and are expected to arrive at Westminster Hall at 3pm.
There were huge crowds again to see the Queen on her final journey before her coffin is handed to the nation
Britain’s Queen Camilla and Catherine, Princess of Wales are pictured during the procession
2.22pm: The gun carriage bearing the coffin of the late Queen Elizabeth II departs Buckingham Palace, transferring the coffin to The Palace of Westminster
The King stares at his mother’s coffin as they begin their doleful final march togethe
The Royal Family follow Her Majesty the Queen from Buckingham Palace as she is handed to the nation
Harry and William stood side-by-side amid the ongoing feud between the siblings and hopes they may reconcile
(left to right) The Duke of Wales, The Duke of Sussex, King Charles III, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex walk behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard
Her Majesty spent her final night in the Bow Room of Buckingham Palace before she was conveyed on a gun carriage to Westminster Hall – the ancient heart of Parliament – where she will lie in state for four days until her funeral on Monday.
t her final night in the Bow Room of Buckingham Palace before she was conveyed on a gun carriage to Westminster Hall – the ancient heart of Parliament – where she will lie in state for four days until her funeral on Monday.
More than 1million people are expected to queue in central London for up to 35 hours to walk past her casket – but experts believe only 400,000 will make it inside meaning 600,000 people will be left disappointed.
The Queen arrived at Buckingham Palace last night to tears and cheers from the huge crowds who stood in the pouring rain to welcome her home after her death at Balmoral last Thursday.
The route from RAF Northolt to the palace was packed. There was a wave of lights as many raised their mobile phones in the air to film the hearse as it passed.
As the hearse drove through the gates, Charles could be seen bowing his head with Harry and Meghan stood solemnly behind the monarch.
The Queen Consort, who was wearing pearl earrings and a pearl necklace, looked deep in thought as she arrived at the Palace today
The Queen’s granddaughter Princess Eugenie was seen waving at crowds from her car as she left Clarence House this afternoon
Princess Beatrice was seen waving at fans as she left Clarence House with her husband of two years Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi today
Edo, Beatrice’s husband, looked serious in the car as he left Clarence House ahead of the Queen’s funeral procession this afternoon
Royals fans have been gathering around Buckingham Palace to catch a glimpse of the funeral procession to pay their respects to the Monarch
King Charles III is driven to Buckingham Palace in London with a police escort this morning
King Charles III leaves Clarence House in London today ahead of the ceremonial procession of Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin
King Charles III was seen arriving at Buckingham Palace, where he will be leading the Royal Procession behind the Queen’s coffin
At 2.22pm exactly this afternoon, the Queen’s coffin will be placed on a gun carriage and lead a procession down a packed Mall, along Whitehall and then into Parliament Square before entering the Palace of Westminster followed by her son, the new King, and her children and grandchildren.
The near 1,000-year-old Westminster Hall is where her father King George VI would lie in state in 1952 and where the public could pass the coffin of her mother, the Queen Mother, in 2002. Her Majesty’s closed coffin will be placed on a catafalque – a raised platform, covered in the Royal Standard with the orb and sceptre placed on top.
Charles, William and Harry – along with the Duke of York, the Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex – will follow the coffin on foot as it makes its 38-minute journey in front of thousands of mourners lining the streets in central London.
King Charles III waves to the crowds as he arrives at Buckingham Palace in London this morning
King Charles III leaves Clarence House in London today ahead of the ceremonial procession of Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin
For William and Harry it will bring back painful memories of when they, aged 15 and 12, walked behind the coffin of their mother Princess Diana in 1997.
Anne’s son Peter Phillips and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence will also walk in the procession, as well as the Duke of Gloucester and the Earl of Snowdon.
The Queen Consort, the Princess of Wales, the Countess of Wessex and the Duchess of Sussex will travel by car.
The procession will leave Buckingham Palace at 2.22pm borne by gun carriage of the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery. The route will take the coffin through the Queen’s Gardens, The Mall, Horse Guards Parade and Horse Guards Arch, Whitehall, Parliament Street, Parliament Square and New Palace Yard.
Meghan was given the earrings ahead of her first ever, and only ever, solo engagement with the monarch, which took place in Cheshire in 2018 (pictured)
Today’s appearance comes after Meghan was faced with an awkward moment when she was completely snubbed by a member of the public after trying to shake the woman’s hand.
A video clip shared on social media captures the uncomfortable interaction between the Duchess of Sussex, 41, and the unnamed woman – who refused to put out her hand when Meghan went to shake it, and then turned her head away from the former Suits star altogether.
The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon at Windsor Castle after Meghan and Prince Harry, 37, joined the Prince and Princess of Wales for a walkabout, during which the foursome greeted members of the public who had turned out to pay their respects to the late Queen.
Meghan received a generally warm reaction from the crowd as she made her way down the line of adoring fans, shaking hands and chatting with the hoards of people lined up to get a glimpse of the royals.
However, one person standing at the front of the crowd seemed to be particularly unhappy with her attendance, and when the former Suits star approached her, she looked away, avoiding eye contact, and did not extend her hand.
Meghan handled the moment like a pro and appeared unfazed as she moved past the lady and continued on with the public appearance.
Afterwards, the woman could be seen chatting with a friend, as the two giggled over the icy moment.
Prince Harry and his wife-of-four-years sparked controversy back in 2020, after they announced that they were stepping away from their royal duties and leaving the monarchy behind to relocate to the states – a move that left many people in the UK unhappy and appears to still be a source of tension in the country, as seen by the woman’s reaction on Saturday.
The couple, who are now raising their two kids, Archie, three, and Lilibet, one, in a $14 million mansion in Los Angeles, California, later released a series of bombshell interviews – during which Meghan claimed Kate Middleton once made her cry over a bridesmaid dress and that there were ‘concerns and conversations’ about how dark Archie’s skin would be before he was born.
The appearance was plagued with more controversy when some online users noticed an apparent disagreement between Meghan and royal aides, after she collected flowers from some onlookers and didn’t know what to do with the bouquets.
When Meghan was approached by an aide who wanted to take the growing number of floral tributes from her, footage showed her telling him that she wanted to continue to hold on to them and would place them at the gates herself afterwards.
Moments later, however, a second member of staff approached her and appeared to tell her that they had to take them from her, and this time, the Duchess handed over the blooms.
The walkabout was the first time that Prince Harry and Meghan were seen publicly alongside Prince William and Kate since March 2020, and has marked an apparent thawing between the brothers and their wives.
A Kensington Palace source said that William invited Harry and Meghan to join him and Kate at the event just hours before, and while the Sussexes’ friend and preferred journalist Omid Scobie said the invitation was made at the ’11th hour,’ he added that it could serve as an olive branch between the families.
He declared: ‘It is, without a doubt, a significant moment in the history of the relationship between the two brothers.’
It has also been reported that William and Harry could walk side by side behind the Queen’s coffin at her funeral next week in a potential royal truce.
If so, it would mark a significant improvement in their relationship – at the funeral of their grandfather, Prince Philip, in April last year, the pair were separated by their cousin Peter Phillips.
An insider told the Sun: ‘We are certainly not in the same place as Philip’s funeral when William and Harry didn’t walk side by side.
‘Things haven’t changed but it is not as intense and they can co-exist.’
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