Before Queen Elizabeth passed away last year, she met the youngest members of her family, who usually aren’t living nearby. Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet – Harry and Meghan’s children – attended as the queen celebrated her Platinum Jubilee in June last year, marking 70 years on the throne.
Princess Lilibet was also celebrating her first birthday on June 4, and Queen Elizabeth was reportedly there to wish her a happy birthday. However, the monarch reportedly didn’t want her picture taken with the young princess.
While that meeting occurred, a former royal worker lashed out at Harry and Meghan. Paul Burrell, Diana’s former butler, now says that Queen Elizabeth invited Harry and his family to her home so she could give Lilibet a birthday cake. But, according to him, the Sussexes did something else instead.
On June 4, 2021, the couple announced the fantastic news that their daughter, Lilibet, had been born. Royal enthusiasts will know that the girl is their second child after Archie, their son, was born in 2019.
Princess Lilibet
A spokesperson for the couple at the time said: “It is with great joy that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, welcome their daughter, Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, to the world.”
Naturally, people from all over the world sent their congratulations to Harry and Meghan following Lilibet’s birth. That included the Royal Family and all of its members. Prince William and Kate Middleton sent their wishes via their official Instagram account, writing: “We are all delighted by the happy news of the arrival of baby Lili. Congratulations to Harry, Meghan and Archie.”
“I wish her all the very best. I can’t wait to meet her,” Kate Middleton later said about meeting Lilibet.
“We haven’t met her yet, so hopefully that will be soon.”
Sadly, things haven’t been all that simple.
Lilibet finally got to meet her great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, and the rest of her royal family when she attended the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations.
The event took place at the beginning of June in London last year, marking Queen Elizabeth’s incredible 70-year tenure on the British throne. In the end, Harry and Meghan did fly across the Atlantic Ocean to reunite with the former’s family.
As per reports, the couple kept a low profile, attending only a handful of events, including the Service of Thanksgiving at St. Paul’s Cathedral. This marked the first time Harry and Meghan had appeared publicly in the UK since they stepped back from the Royal Family in 2020.
Though it may seem as if Harry and Meghan didn’t do much more than hurry from one place to the next while they were there, they were reportedly able to have some private time with the queen.
Queen Elizabeth reportedly refused to take picture with Lilibet at her birthday picnic
The pair’s children, Archie and Lilibet, had flown to the UK with them – it was the first time Lilibet had ever visited her father’s homeland. As per sources, on Saturday, June 4, her parents threw her a party to celebrate their daughter’s first birthday.
Meghan and Harry are said to have arranged a backyard picnic at Frogmore Cottage, their UK home. Their friend, Misan Harriman, released a wonderful picture of the little girl celebrating her birthday.
Harry and Meghan reportedly had a cake made by baker Claire Ptak for the birthday picnic. She’s the same baker who made the cake for the couple’s wedding in 2018.
The picnic at Frogmore Cottage marked the first time that Lilibet met her great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, and her grandfather, then-Prince Charles.
Yet, while they must have been pleased to see Lilibet, no photos of them meeting her were released. As The Sun reported, Queen Elizabeth banned Harry and Meghan from having a photographer present.
“Harry and Meghan wanted their photographer to capture the moment Lilibet met the Queen,” an insider told The Sun. “But they were told no chance. It was a private family meeting.”
According to royal expert Camilla Tominey, the queen refused to take a photo with the little girl because she had a bloodshot eye. Tominey claims that the monarch did not want to be in any images that would be made public.
Tominey wrote in The Telegraph that Harry was rumored to have expressed his desire to get a photo between the two “at some point in the future.”
Reports claim that the only children attending the party were Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips’ children. Prince William, Princess Kate, and their children decided not to attend. The tension, at the time, was still high. And as we know, things haven’t turned out any better of late.
Paul Burrell claims Harry & Meghan snubbed Queen’s Lilibet birthday invite
While Queen Elizabeth reportedly didn’t want to take a photo because of her eye when she saw the young Lilibet, who has since become a princess, there was another chance for Harry and Meghan to get the picture.
According to Paul Burrell, Princess Diana’s former butler who worked for her from 1987 until 1997, Queen Elizabeth had prepared another celebration for the one-year-old.
Burrell states that Queen Elizabeth was very excited to celebrate her youngest great-granddaughter. She even had a special cake made for her. She waited, but the candle was never lit as Harry and Meghan declined the invite.
“She saw her the day before. But on her birthday, the queen had a birthday cake made with one candle in it. And they never turned up. That candle was never lit.”
“The next day, she asked if maybe they’d like to come up for tea again and was told they’ve gone,” Burrell remembers. “‘What do you mean they’ve gone?’ she said. They’ve gone back to America. ‘Oh no, they never said goodbye,’” Burrell added.
Harry and Meghan decided to leave the UK shortly after Lilibet’s birthday picnic. Queen Elizabeth was, according to Burrell, “confused” that they left without saying goodbye. How could they offend the queen? The former butler asked.
“Well, I don’t understand anyone that could do that. Not her family, why would you want to? She was devoid of jealousy, anger, envy, all those traits that we associate with other people she didn’t have. She was just a very simple soul. I wish the world could have known her the way I knew her.”
Source says “no truth” in claim
“She was a mother, a granny, a great granny to all of them. And they all miss her. Even Harry and Meghan in Los Angeles will be thinking about the queen on her anniversary because Harry was a particular favourite,” he added in the interview with the Mirror.
A source told Page Six there is “no truth” to Burrell’s claims. The source added that they did see Queen Elizabeth to celebrate Lilibet’s birthday.
It is not the first time Paul Burrell has lashed out at Harry, with his claims not being confirmed as accurate. Last year, for example, he claimed Harry only married Meghan Markle “because she’s like Diana.”
Burrell has been very outspoken about his life within the royal sphere and his friendship with Princess Diana. But in 2003, his relationship with her children came crashing down.
In his 2003 book, A Royal Duty, Burrell published several private revelations which left Harry furious. He and his brother, William, even released a statement accusing Burrell of “a cold and overt betrayal.”
Moreover, in his book Spare, Harry hit back against Burrell and accused him of milking his mother’s death for money.
“Mummy’s former butler had penned a tell-all which actually told nothing. It was merely one man’s self-justifying, self-centering version of events. My mother once called this butler a dear friend and trusted him implicitly. We did too. Now this,” Harry wrote.
“He was milking her disappearance for money. It made my blood boil.”
Even though Harry’s relationship with the royal family came crashing down when he left the family – as well as releasing his book alongside the several interviews in which he and his wife accused the royals of several things – he and Queen Elizabeth had an exceptional bond.
Harry & Meghan want their children to have a “normal life”
The Duke has never said any bad words about his late grandmother. Instead, he honors her memory in the best way possible. He has previously recounted the horrible day she died and the last ever words he told her.
Last week, Harry attended the WellChild Awards in London. Speaking at the gala, he also paid tribute to his “Grannie,” with whom he shared a special bond.
On Friday, September 8, just before leaving for the Invictus games in Germany, Harry was also spotted visiting his grandmother’s burial site at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.
While Harry and Meghan are focusing on making the most out of their life close to Hollywood – especially their ongoing Netflix projects after their Spotify deal came crashing down – children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet live their best lives in the family’s Montecito home.
The couple is focused on their two children and giving them their best childhood possible. And at home, it is pretty much the same as at the home of William and Kate.
According to a People source, Harry and Meghan’s “goal” is for the two young royals to “have a normal life as possible.” They reportedly go on playdates and love spending time with Harry and Meghan at the beach or walking.
“[They] are very united when it comes to family values and how to raise their kids. They are both great parents,” the source told People. “Their kids are their world.”
Harry says Lilibet and Diana share striking features
Further, the source added that Archie and Lilibt’s upbringing is “very play-based,” describing how they have several play areas, which include a climbing gym on their $14 million estate.
While Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, is said to be living nearby or at least visiting them regularly, sadly, the young children will never get to meet their grandmother on Harry’s side. While Diana will always be in their hearts, Harry has noticed how Lilibet shares some striking features with his late mother.
Speaking on the final episode of their Netflix documentary series, Harry & Meghan, released last year, Harry described how Diana and Lilibet resemble each other, especially regarding eyes and hair color.
“I think at the moment I see a lot of my wife in [Prince] Archie, and I see a lot of my mum in Lili. She’s very Spencer-like. She’s got the same blue eyes.”
Meghan added, “Blue, blue, blue eyes,” with Harry continuing the comparison to his mother’s side of the family, saying, “Sort of like a golden reddish hair.”
If you liked this article, click here to read about the unexpected detail on Princess Lilibet’s birth certificate.
