Meghan Markle cut a solemn figure as she arrived for the funeral of the Queen at Westminster Abbey alongside her husband Prince Harry today.
The Duchess of Sussex, 41, opted for traditional all black mourning attire as she paid tribute to her husband’s grandmother in London today.
She was pictured sitting in a car alongside her husband, the Duke, 38, and appeared to be wearing a large black hat with a wide brim for the occasion. She then travelled to the service alongside Prince Edward’s wife, the Countess of Wessex.
Throughout the state funeral, the royal mother-of-two appeared deep in thought, as she sat alongside her husband and his cousin, Princess Beatrice in Westminster Abbey.
The royal paid tribute to the Queen by wearing a set of pearl and diamond earrings she was given by the monarch as a gift. She earlier this week wore the same pair for the funeral procession to Westminster Hall.
Harry and Meghan, who live in Montecito, California, have remained in the UK since the Queen’s death on September 8. They happened to be in the country for the WellChild awards when the news was announced.
The couple were without their children Archie, three, and Lilibet, 15 months, who are believed to have remained in California with Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland.
Meghan Markle cut a solemn figure as she arrived for the funeral of the Queen at Westminster Abbey alongside her husband Prince Harry today
Britain’s Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and Britain’s Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, walking outside Westminster Abbey, on the day of the state funeral and burial of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth
Today, the Duchess stood alongside the Queen Consort, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, the Princess of Wales and Sophie Wessex at the funeral
Duchess of Sussex, Camilla, Queen Consort, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Sophie, Countess of Wessex attends the State Funeral of the Queen at Westminster Abbey
Meghan appeared pensive and deep in thought after the service as she prepared to watch the procession of the Queen’s coffin
The royal mother-of-two walked behind the other senior royals as she departed Westminster Abbey this afternoon following the service
The Duchess of Sussex, who is based in the US, opted for a black cape dress and black gloves as she attended the funeral in London today
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.
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.
Prince Harry appeared to reach for Meghan’s hand as the two departed the service in Westminster Abbey this afternoon (pictured)
Leaving the service today, Meghan walked alongside her husband Prince Harry, and behind the Prince and Princess of Wales and their family
During the service, Meghan was sat alongside her husband Prince Harry and his cousin, Princess Beatrice (pictured, in the second row)
Once inside the service, Meghan stood alongside the Princess of Wales and her children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte (pictured)
The royal mother-of-two swept her hair into a low up-do to reveal the earrings, which were a gift from the late monarch in 2018 (pictured)
The Duchess stood behind the Princess of Wales and her nephew Prince George and niece Princess Charlotte at Westminster Abbey today
Meanwhile the royal mother-of-two was carrying her black gloves as she arrived at the service earlier this morning
Meghan joined the Countess and Kate, as well as Camilla, the Queen Consort, and Prince George and Princess Charlotte of Wales, during the procession today
The Duchess walked into the service at Westminster Abbey today alongside the Countess of Wessex (pictured together)
The Duchess wore a large black hat for the occasion, with a brim which fell across the right side of her face
The royal mother-of-two was elegant in a black ensemble with heels and a large hat as she arrived at the State Funeral earlier this morning
Meghan joined the Countess as she watched Prince George and Princess Charlotte arrive at the event alongside Kate Middleton
Prince Edward’s wife Sophie and Meghan travelled together in a car down The Mall ahead of the Queen’s State Funeral this morning
Meghan was sitting alongside the Countess of Wessex as she was driven to the Queen’s funeral in London this afternoon (pictured)
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.
‘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’.
Harry and Meghan had been on a whistlestop tour of the UK and Germany lasting less than a week and had been due to fly back to the US on the day the Queen died, Thursday 8 September.
The Duchess of Sussex, 41, opted for traditional all black mourning attire as she paid tribute to her husband’s grandmother in London today
The Duchess of Sussex was pictured sitting in a car alongside her husband, the Duke, 38, and appeared to be wearing a large black hat with a wide brim for the occasion
The couple have spent much of the last two years in the US, and have barely seen the Queen, who only met their children a rare handful of times.
Meghan and Harry’s two small children joined the late Queen at a private lunch in Windsor around the around the time of Lilibet’s first birthday in June, according to Omid Scobie, the author who is close to the Duke and Duchess.
Their attendance today comes after the Duke and Duchess reportedly found out they were ‘uninvited’ to a Buckingham Palace state reception for world leaders and foreign royals by reading press reports.
The couple were initially invited, then allegedly banned from attending a yesterday’s event at Buckingham Palace.
The excuse allegedly given is that the occasion was for working royals only. Harry and Meghan have yet to comment on the allegations.
The couple originally received an invite to the event hosted by King Charles and the Queen Consort Camilla earlier this week. Nearly 2,000 attended.
US President Joe Biden, French president Emmanuel Macron and Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau are among the heads of state who arrived in London this weekend to attend Queen Elizabeth’s funeral.
World leaders, ambassadors and foreign royals attended a reception at the Palace last night where they will also be greeted by the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Princess Royal and the Earl and Countess of Wessex.
The confusion over Harry and Meghan’s invitation points to issues with communication between the Californian-based couple and the Royal Family, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Pallbearers gently carried the late monarch’s oak coffin, carrying her crown, orb and sceptre
The King, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward walk to the abbey behind their mother
The Queen begins her final journey from Westminster Hall
U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrive, on the day of the state funeral and burial of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth
Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy arrives at Westminster Abbey ahead of the state funeral this morning
Former prime minister Theresa May and her husband Philip May arrive at Westminster Abbey for the service this morning
Prime Minister Liz Truss arrives at Westminster Abbey for the service this morning
A long line of mourners walk into the UK’s most important church
The congregation were in place several hours before the Queen’s coffin arrived
Prince Harry’s statement released after the Queen’s death referred to her meeting the great-grandchildren, saying: ‘Granny, while this final parting brings us great sadness, I am forever grateful for all of our first meetings — from my earliest childhood memories with you, to meeting you for the first time as my Commander-in-Chief, to the first moment you met my darling wife and hugged your beloved great-grandchildren.’
It has been claimed King Charles will not reveal the new titles for Archie and Lilibet until the official royal mourning period is over on Sept 26.
On the Royal Family website they are referred to in the line of Succession as Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor and Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor.
There has been speculation they will be given Prince and Princess titles but will not receive His and Her Royal Highness (HRH) titles because their parents are not working Royals.
Hundreds of thousands of Brits have queued to see the Queen lying in state this week, as the official period of mourning ends today.
Well-wishers waited for up to thirty hours to pay tribute as people from around the world sent their condolences to the longest running head of state .
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)
Dignitaries from the commonwealth including Australia, New Zealand and Canada will join the Firm in mourning today, as well as monarchs from across Europe and the world.
The Queen’s state funeral today will end with a two-minute national silence in a ‘fitting tribute to an extraordinary reign’ before she is laid to rest beside her late husband.
Police have also been granted a no-fly zone order over London on today, which will follow 10 days of mourning.
As well as thousands of uniformed Metropolitan Police bobbies drafted into action, plain-clothes officers will also mingle among crowds to monitor any threats.
It is expected that other forces will be asked to provide officers under ‘mutual aid’.
The Queen’s Coffin was today carried from Westminster Hall to the State Gun Carriage, and then positioned outside the building’s North Door.
The procession then went from New Palace Yard through Parliament Square, Broad Sanctuary and the Sanctuary before arriving at Westminster Abbey just before 11am.
After the State Funeral Service finished at around midday, the coffin was then placed on the State Gun Carriage outside the Abbey.
At 12.15pm, the procession set off for Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner.
The route then went from the Abbey via Broad Sanctuary, Parliament Square (south and east sides), Parliament Street, Whitehall, Horse Guards including Horse Guards Arch, Horse Guards Road, The Mall, Queen’s Gardens (south and west sides), Constitution Hill and Apsley Way
At Wellington Arch, the Queen’s coffin will be transferred from the State Gun Carriage to the State Hearse just after 1pm, ahead of the journey to Windsor.
It then will travel from central London to Windsor, on a route that has not been disclosed by the Palace. When the hearse arrives in Windsor, the procession will begin just after 3pm at Shaw Farm Gate on Albert Road.
The state hearse will join the procession, which will have been formed up and in position, at Shaw Farm Gate before travelling to St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
The procession will follow the route of Albert Road, Long Walk, Cambridge Gate, Cambridge Drive, George IV Gate, Quadrangle (south and west sides), Engine Court, Norman Arch, Chapel Hill, Parade Ground and Horseshoe Cloister Arch.
Just before 4pm, the procession will halt at the bottom of the West Steps of St George’s Chapel in Horseshoe Cloister. Here, the bearer party will carry the coffin in procession up the steps into the chapel.
The Queen will be interred during a private burial at King George VI Memorial Chapel in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle at 7.30pm.
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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk