Queen Elizabeth Requests Meghan Markle, Prince Harry & Baby Archie's Return to U.K. for Royal Event
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry could be returning to the U.K. next month for their last round of official royal engagements.
Queen Elizabeth II reportedly requested that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who will no longer be using their “royal highness” titles, join the royal family for the annual Commonwealth service at Westminster Abbey on March 9, according to The Sunday Times.
Meghan, 38, and Harry, 35, are expected to attend the event with their son Archie, who will have just turned 10 months old.
Following the appearance, the couple will return to Canada where they are beginning to settle into their new non-royal life after their decision to step down as senior members of the royal family.
The family of three has been staying in a $14 million mansion on Vancouver Island, where Meghan enjoys the scenery on hikes with her beagle Guy and the couple’s Labrador. “They are enjoying living a quiet life,” an insider recently told PEOPLE. “They go for long walks, they do yoga, and Meghan cooks. They are real homebodies who love to chill out with Archie and the dogs.”
But last week, the homebodies took a quick trip to Miami where they made their first joint public appearance since transitioning from royal life at a private JP Morgan event.
PEOPLE confirmed that Harry gave a speech at the event. The father of one reportedly spoke about his experience with losing his mother, Princess Diana, and his decision to leave the royal family. According to The Times, Meghan also spoke at the event, focusing on her love for her husband.
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Their new life has brought Meghan much closer to her circle of friends, as well as her mother Doria Ragland, who lives in Los Angeles.
Ragland, a social worker and yoga instructor, spent the holidays with Meghan and Harry in the weeks leading up to the couple’s announcement that they were stepping down as senior royals. And she’s been an important source of support ever since.
“She definitely gets a lot of her strength from her mother,” a close friend told PEOPLE of Meghan.
While the transition still holds many question marks for Harry and Meghan, the most important part has been focusing on being the best parents for Archie.
“Archie is the priority. It’s very much still about taking care of him and putting the family first. He’s a happy kid—he loves to laugh,” an insider said. “Archie and Harry have such a good time together. And Meghan is a great mom. She’s very much about tending to him. They are trying to live their life as regular parents.”
