Meghan Markle Speaks Out About The Queen's Death For The First Time

It almost seemed like time stood still when the world learned of Queen Elizabeth II's death. The long-ruling monarch died on September 8, 2022, at age 96. The royal family took to Twitter to share the news with the public for the first time. "The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon," the account tweeted, while including a photo of the late queen. Countless celebrity tributes poured in, including some from Sir Elton John to Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne. 

Of course, Queen Elizabeth's family also shared their fond memories of the late monarch. According to The Sun, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle greeted mourners in the days following Queen Elizabeth II's death, and that was the first time Harry spoke about his grandmother's death. "It's a lonely place up there now without her," he said. "Every room she was in, you felt her presence throughout." Harry also released a statement on the Archwell website, saying that in mourning the queen, the royal family is "reminded of the guiding compass she was to so many in her commitment to service and duty" (via Yahoo! Sports). He added that his grandmother "was globally admired and respected." Additionally, he recalled fond memories of his grandmother over the years, "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."

Now, Meghan is breaking her silence to remember the queen.

Meghan Markle is finally breaking her silence about Queen Elizabeth II's death. The mother of two sat down for an interview with Variety, sharing what life has been like after the monarch's death. "I've reflected on that first official engagement that I had with her, how special that felt," she told the outlet. "I feel fortunate. And I continue to be proud to have had a nice warmth with the matriarch of the family." Meghan also said that she was "grateful" that she could be with Prince Harry to offer support during such a difficult time in his life.

"What's so beautiful is to look at the legacy that his grandmother was able to leave on so many fronts," the star continued. "Certainly, in terms of female leadership, she is the most shining example of what that looks like." In addition, she said she feels a "deep gratitude" for the opportunity to have spent time with the late queen. She called Harry an "optimist," for noting that in Queen Elizabeth II's death, she's now with her late husband, Prince Philip.

In 2017, Meghan also spoke about her first meeting with Queen Elizabeth II in an interview with BBC. She said that it was "incredible" to be able to meet the queen and see things through Harry's lens. "When I met her, I had such a deep understanding and, of course, incredible respect for being able to have that time with her, and she's an incredible woman," she gushed (via Us Weekly).