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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Jennifer Newton

Queen was 'delighted' at Archie's bow during emotional first meeting with Lilibet

Prince Harry reportedly goes into detail about his daughter Lilibet's first emotional meeting with the late Queen in his new memoir.

Leaked extracts of the book Spare have emerged and it is said that during this meeting Harry and wife Meghan Markle's older son Archie delighted his great-grandmother the then-monarch by attempting to bow for her.

Lilibet was just shy of her first birthday when she met the Queen for the first time after Harry and Meghan travelled to the UK with Archie for her Platinum Jubilee celebrations last June.

It has been widely reported that during the trip, the youngster, who is named in tribute to the late monarch, was introduced to her.

The Queen at the Chelsea Flower Show last year (Getty Images)

And according to Hello!, which has seen a leaked copy of Spare, Harry reveals that Archie, who is three, had been perfecting his bow in anticipation of seeing his great-grandmother.

It is also reported that the Queen was delighted by Archie's first attempt at the gesture.

Harry opening up about the meeting follows rumours that he and wife Meghan were keen for an official photo of their children with their great-grandmother.

Harry and Meghan with their children Archie and Lilibet (alexilubomirski/Instagram)
Harry and Meghan publicly attended one of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebration events (WireImage,)

But stories have suggested this request was denied by the Queen a s she had had a bloodshot eye at the time.

And writing in the Telegraph, royal expert Camilla Tominey claims Harry was "persistent" in wanting a photo to be taken.

She says: "When the couple made another beeline for Windsor Castle, travelling straight there after landing at Farnborough Airport, she refused their request to have professional photographs taken with Archie, three, and her namesake Lilibet, one.

Harry and Meghan with the late Queen in 2018 (Getty Images)

"Claiming she had a bloodshot eye, she adroitly denied the Sussexes the photo opportunity they craved.

"Harry was 'persistent', according to those party to the meeting, expressing a desire to get an official snap of the two Lilibets together at some point in the future. But of course, it was never to be. She died three months later."

During the Jubilee celebrations, Harry and Meghan only attended one of the events publicly and were not seen at the concert at Buckingham Palace or the Jubilee pageant.

Details from Harry's book emerged after a bookstore in Spain started selling the memoir five days early.

It is not due to be released until Tuesday (January 10) with Harry having several TV interviews lined up to promote it over the weekend.

This story is based off a translated version of Prince Harry ’s memoir Spare. Spare published by Penguin Random House will be available to buy in the UK on January 10.

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