It's hard to believe (given how quickly the time has flown by) but this coming weekend, not only will the Queen's Platinum Jubilee be celebrated with a series of events to mark the monarch's 70 year reign, but Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's daughter, Lilibet, will also be turning one. And it sounds as though she'll be doing so in the UK... more specifically, at a little bash thrown for her at Frogmore Cottage, where the Sussexes will be staying for the duration of their visit.
It's believed that this Saturday will also mark the Queen and Lilibet's first meeting – which is super special, seeing as little Lili was named in her honour (quite the first birthday present for any child, if you ask us!).
Originally, it's reported, Her Majesty had plans to attend the Epsom Derby, something she's only ever missed out on twice previously, but given Lili's stay in the UK, along with the fact that three of her horses will now no longer be competing, it's said that Princess Anne will be stepping in in her place – leaving the Queen free to bond with one of her many great-grandchildren.
The meeting is well overdue and comes in contrast to Lili's big brother, Archie, who was born in London's Portland Hospital on 6 May 2019, and is believed to have met his great-grandmother, Her Majesty, just two days later.
Since Lili's birth on the 4 June 2021, the Sussexes have only been to the UK once, whilst making a brief drop-in to see the Queen when travelling to the Invictus Games in The Hague, The Netherlands, in April.
Speaking about the reasons why during their tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, the couple implied that a big part of the reason why they've been keeping their distance, along with the coronavirus pandemic, is due to concerns around security. When they stepped down from their senior working roles within the Royal Family, they were stripped back of protections offered.
Here's hoping all of the royals - working and non-working - have a great weekend of family fun and bonding ahead, after what has been a rocky few years for the clan.
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.
