This is why the Queen's first meeting with Lilibet was so short
It's been a busy month for the Queen so far, who celebrated a record-breaking 70 years on the throne. And amidst the pageants and balcony appearances, she also met her great-grandaughter, Lilibet Diana, for the very first time. But, despite not meeting her namesake until she was one-year-old, the pair's time together was not as lengthy as you might expect – less than an hour, reportedly. So, why was the Queen's visit with Lilibet so short?
According to an insider, who spoke to US Weekly, the Queen kept her time with the little royal as short as possible so as to save her energy for the rest of the four-day weekend's festivities – which makes sense, given that in recent months she has been suffering with a sharp decline in health, forcing her to pull out of a number of high-profile events at short notice.
"She was working very hard to maintain her strength," royal expert Jonathan Sacerdoti claimed. "I think it’s totally understandable that she was saving her energy as best she could for all the events that she wanted to be at if she possibly could."
Sacerdoti continued: "We’re talking about someone in their nineties and a baby. We saw that she did manage to appear several times in public, and that’s great."
Watch: Inside Lilibet's first birthday party at Frogmore Cottage
That's not to say that Lilibet didn't have the best time during her first visit to the UK, as she celebrated turning one with a party thrown by her parents, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. According to The Sun, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex hosted an informal garden party at their former home, Frogmore Cottage, with picnic-style snacks, a birthday cake, balloons and party games.
"It was a lovely do and had everything you’d expect from a child’s birthday party," a source close to the Sussex family told The Sun. "But there was no formal entertainment. The idea was for it to be very relaxed and casual, with people free to pop in and out as they wished."
"It was a nice opportunity for the other royal children to meet Lilibet for the first time," the royal insider added, noting that the guest list reportedly included Zara and Mike Tindall (as well as their three children), and Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly (along with their two kids).
So, there you have it!
You Might Also Like