During the late Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September 2022, a poignant moment saw her grandsons, Prince William and Prince Harry, walk side by side next to her coffin.
As she was laid to rest at Westminster Abbey, the world watched on with grief following her 70-year reign, making her the longest-reigning British monarch.
But what a lot of royal fans may not be aware of is a more private moment that happened between the late Queen and Prince Harry, when he visited her body following her death.
The Duke of Sussex shared the final words he whispered to his grandmother’s body in his tell-all memoir, Spare, which was published in January 2023.
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Tragically, Harry, like many other members of the royal family, including his brother William, didn’t make it to Balmoral, Scotland, in time to say his goodbyes to the Queen in person.
When he arrived, he was greeted by Princess Anne, who took him upstairs to the room where her body was being kept.
He emotionally wrote: “I advanced with uncertainty and saw her. I stayed still, watching her carefully for a good while.
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“I whispered that I hoped she was happy and that she was with Grandfather now. I said that I admired her for having carried out her duties until the end. The [Platinum] Jubilee, the welcoming of the new prime minister.”
Following her death on 8 September 2022, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle released a statement in tribute to the Queen.
Harry described his late grandmother as the 'guiding compass she was to so many in her commitment to service and duty', adding: "She was globally admired and respected. Her unwavering grace and dignity remained true throughout her life and now her everlasting legacy.
"Let us echo the words she spoke after the passing of her husband, Prince Philip, words which can bring comfort to all of us now: 'Life, of course, consists of final partings as well as first meetings'."
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Meanwhile, Prince William wrote in his own statement: “While I will grieve her loss, I also feel incredibly grateful. I have had the benefit of The Queen's wisdom and reassurance into my fifth decade.
“My wife has had twenty years of her guidance and support. My three children have got to spend holidays with her and create memories that will last their whole lives."
Last year, the late Queen's final words from her last ever diary entry were revealed to the public.
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The late monarch’s diary was discovered by royal biographer Robert Hardman as part of his research, and it was discovered that she'd kept up the habit until two days before her death at Balmoral.
According to Hardman, her last entry was 'as factual and practical as ever'.
Topics: Prince Harry, Prince William, Royal Family, UK News, The Queen
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Madison Burgess