Prince Harry and Meghan Markle lost out on time spent with the Queen before her death years with the monarch only meeting Lilibet on just one occasion.
The Duke of Sussex arrived at Balmoral an hour-and-a-half after it had been announced his 96-year-old grandmother had died.
Despite the well-reported rifts within the family, the Duke of Sussex had always maintained a good relationship with the Queen.
This was maintained even as his relations with other senior royals, like his brother, deteriorated - according to sources.
However, the situation tragically meant he spent very little time with his beloved grandmother in the final months of her life.
The Sussexes stepped back as senior royals in 2020 and left for California that year - since then they have hit the headlines with a number of explosive interviews.
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In spite of this both, Harry, Meghan and the Queen made it clear they had nothing, but love and respect for each other.
The Queen was able to even meet her namesake, the couple’s second child, Lilibet this year during the monarch’s Platinum Jubilee event.
The young girl was named after the Queen’s childhood nickname, but the affection was hollowed by the fact Her Majesty only met her once.
One of the biggest blows to relations between the Sussexes and the Royal Family came in the infamous 2021 tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey.
But even amongst shocking claims about racism within the royal family, only kind words were said about the Queen.
Meghan said: “The Queen has always been wonderful to me. I just really loved being in her company... she’s always been warm and inviting and really welcoming.”
One key bombshell was a suggestion that a senior royal expressed “concern” over Archie’s skin colour - causes wounds that are yet to heal and leaving questions that are yet to be answered.
The last time Meghan was publicly pictured with the Queen was in March 2020 at Westminster Abbey for Commonwealth Day - for her final royal engagement.
Almost a year would pass before Harry would next return to the UK in April 2021 when the Duke of Edinburgh passed away.
Meghan was unable to make the journey as she was pregnant with Lilibet - but Harry returned again in July 2021 as he and William unveiled a long-planned statue of Diana, Princess of Wales, in the gardens of Kensington Palace.
A breakthrough came the year after in April 2022.
This year, a 30 -minute conversation ahead of the Sussex couple's flight to Holland for the Invictus Games was held with the Queen.
After the "olive branch" talks, they were invited to be present during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
But despite speaking fondly of the Queen there were a number of issues centred around concerns about security, whether they would be able to make the event.
Also, the Queen’s decision to invite them was thought to have been less popular with some members of the Royal Family, like Prince William who remained hurt by his brother’s actions.
The Sussexes made the event this year and watched on as the other working royals took to the balcony.
But mere days before their most recent visit to the country this week, Meghan released yet another tell-all bombshell interview with The Cut where she said her and Harry were “happy” to leave and had been “upsetting the dynamic of the hierarchy … just by existing”.
On their most recent trip to the UK, eyebrows were raised that there was no intention to visit the Royal Family, despite being just 15 minutes from William and Kate's new home.
The Daily Mail reported that William and Kate were said to be avoiding contact with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, until they knew what the couple plans to disclose what is in their upcoming Netflix documentary and Harry's forthcoming book.
Insiders told The Mirror that Charles had thought the Sussexes staying with him would be a “good opportunity for everyone to take stock and relax."
“But the invitation was declined, as it has been before,” the source said.
Even in the days leading up to the Queen’s death relations between the Sussexes and other members of the Royal Family remained tepid at best.
One disgruntled Palace insider told The Sunday Times: “Everyone hoped they would go off to be financially independent, pursue their philanthropic endeavours and be happy - and that in going their own way, they might no longer feel the need to rail against the system as much as they still do.
“But then the star power of them requires an association with the Royal Family and the fuel on those flames is the family discord.”
But following the Queen’s death it isn’t known how the relations between Harry and Meghan and The Firm will fare.
