Browsing: HM Queen Elizabeth II

Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, born 21 April 1926). Is Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms.

In 1947, she married Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh with whom she has four children: Charles, Prince of Wales; Anne, Princess Royal; Prince Andrew, Duke of York; and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.

After her father’s death in 1952, Elizabeth became head of the Commonwealth and queen regnant of seven independent Commonwealth countries: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, and Ceylon

Late Queen said Harry and Meghan’s security was ‘imperative’, letter shows British Royal Family
British Royal Family

Late Queen said Harry and Meghan’s security was ‘imperative’, letter shows

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Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, watch the RAF flypast on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in July 2018 (Picture: Getty)

The late Queen Elizabeth II considered it ‘imperative’ Harry and Meghan continued to have ‘effective security’ after they quit as working royals, court documents have revealed.

Her private secretary, Sir Edward Young, wrote to then-Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill in January 2020 to explain what had been agreed after the Royal Family’s Sandringham summit.

The letter outlined the expectations the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would have when attending engagements in the UK and the position of his grandmother on these and other issues.

Focusing on security, Sir Edward wrote: ‘You will understand well that ensuring that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain safe is of paramount importance to Her Majesty and her family.

‘Given the duke’s public profile by virtue of being born into the royal family, his military service, the duchess’s own independent profile and the well-documented history of targeting of the Sussex family by extremists, it is imperative that the family continues to be provided with effective security.’

And in an apparent nod to the death of Harry’s mother Diana, Princess of Wales, he added: ‘And, of course, the family is mindful of tragic incidents of the past.’

An extract from a letter written by the late Queens private secretary, Sir Edward Young, to then-Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill on January 31, 2020 (Picture: Courts and Tribunals Judiciary/PA)

The letter outlined the expectations the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would have when attending engagements in the UK (Picture: Getty)

The details emerged in the legal judgment given in Harry’s High Court libel case against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) on Friday.

Harry is suing ANL over a February 2022 article about his legal challenge against the Home Office following a decision to change his publicly-funded security arrangements when visiting the UK.

The judgment stated that the letter did not refer to an offer ‘personally to reimburse, or proactively to finance, the cost of state security so as not to burden the taxpayer’, which the duke claims he made during the Sandringham summit.

Sir Edward’s letter also went on to make clear the late Queen and the royal family recognised that the process for making decisions about publicly-funded security were ‘independent’ and ‘are for the UK Government, the Government of Canada and any other host Government…’

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High Court judge Mr Justice Nicklin was previously told The Mail on Sunday first reported that the duke was taking legal action against the Home Office in January 2022.

A press statement issued on Harry’s behalf at the time said he and his family were ‘unable to return to his home’ due to the lack of police protection needed in the UK.

It added: ‘The duke first offered to pay personally for UK police protection for himself and his family in January of 2020 at Sandringham.

‘That offer was dismissed. He remains willing to cover the cost of security, as not to impose on the British taxpayer.’

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‘Our gan gan’: Queen’s relationship with great-grandchildren British Royal Family
British Royal Family

‘Our gan gan’: Queen’s relationship with great-grandchildren

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Altogether the late monarch has 13 great-grandchildren

To Britain, the death of Queen Elizabeth II exactly one year ago at her Scottish estate of Balmoral represented the loss of a sovereign and a head of state for seven decades.

But to some of the youngest members of the Royal Family, the late monarch was just their loving ‘Granny’ or ‘Gan Gan’ who comforted them in times of need.

In total, she was a great-grandmother of 13, with the youngest being the second child of Princess Eugenie, Ernest George Ronnie Brooksbank.

Born on May 30, 2023, he is the newest royal baby – and the first to be born after her death.

Caption: Queen’s relationship with great-grandchildren

Harry and Meghan showing their newborn son to Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at Windsor Castle (Picture: AP)

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Others, like the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s second child Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor, and Lucas Tindall, the third child of Zara and Mike Tindall, are too young to remember ever meeting her

The eldest is 11-year-old Savannah Phillips, daughter of Princess Anne’s son Peter Phillips and now ex-wife Autumn Kelly.

Altogether nine are believed to not have attended her funeral, and did not get to say goodbye to their great-grandmother.

Prince George, nine, and Princess Charlotte, seven, were spotted at the service at Westminster Abbey, while their brother four-year-old Prince Louis was not there.

The Queen and Prince George stand on the balcony at Buckingham Palace at the end of the Platinum Pageant on The Mall on June 5, 2022 (Picture: Getty)

The Queen pictured soothing a younger George in 2015 (Picture: PA)

Mia Tindall, eight, and Lena Tindall, four – the grandchildren of Princess Anne – were pictured at a vigil for Her Majesty.

Her great-grandchildren’s attendance at such solemn events and at such a young age suggests the deep relationship they had with her.

Away from her duties, the Queen had her hands full with the latest generation of royals.

In honour of what would have been her 97th birthday, the Royal Family released a never-before-seen photograph of her with some of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte and Prince Philip standing on the balcony during the Trooping the Colour in 2016 (Picture: Wire Image)

The Queen watching a flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace with three of her great-grandchildren (Picture: Getty)

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It was taken at Balmoral in the summer of last year, a few weeks before her death.

Taken by Kate Middleton, it shows her surrounded by the children, who all look to be beaming with excitement to spend time with her.

The eight great-grandchildren in the shot included George, Charlotte and Louiswho had last been photographed in public making grimaces next to the Queen at her Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022.

Another remarkable picture of Her Majesty showed her standing over Harry and Meghan’s son Archie soon after his birth.

The Queen looks absolutely besotted with her great-grandchild, not able to hide her joy.

Though she remained stoic by nature during her reign, she always looked like a doting ‘Granny’, even with future king Prince George.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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