Fans of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been loving seeing the couple over this side of the pond for a change, as they flew to the Netherlands to attend this year's Invictus Games (after secretly dropping in to meet with the Queen en route). However, whilst Prince Harry is set to remain in Europe for a few more days, Meghan Markle is believed to have already flown back to their home in LA – and it's for the sweetest reason.
As we all know, the couple share two beautiful children together (Archie, who is now 3, and baby Lilibet who is just ten months old), and it sounds as though the Duchess couldn't wait to be reunited with them.
It's something that Meghan publicly discussed during her trip to South Holland while sitting in on a group reading activity with twelve children in the Zuiderpark. While there, according to GB athlete and veteran James Stride, who read the book Hairy Maclary to the group, the Duchess confessed that she was looking forward to being back with her little ones.
"Meghan was quite chatty and told me she was missing her children," Stride told the Daily Mail. "She said she wanted to be with children as she was missing her own."
Stride added that the book he'd chosen to read is also one that Archie and Lili are big fans of and know well, according to their mother Meghan.
"Meghan told me she was familiar with the book and one that she read to her own children," he explained. "She was very friendly, and the book was well known by her family."
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The veteran then shared that afterwards he'd cheekily handed the Duchess a copy of the book to take back to LA with her – complete with his signature hidden inside. Stride, who worked as a vehicle engineer, also revealed that this isn't the first time he's crossed paths with royalty either, as he previously met Prince Harry out in Afghanistan in 2007.
"I was a vehicle engineer and Harry came in with his vehicle. I did meet him, but I don't suppose he remembers me," he said.
Here's hoping the Sussexes, who have reportedly recently hired Obama's former security staff, will be back in the UK for a longer visit soon.
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
