MEGHAN Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, says she feels "fortunate" to have known the late Queen Elizabeth II in a tribute to Her Majesty.
The late monarch passed away at the age of 96 in September following a record-breaking 70-year reign.
Now Meghan – who married the Queen's grandson Prince Harry in 2018 but stepped down from royal duties in 2020 and relocated to LA with her husband – has broken her silence on the loss as she reflected on her time spent with the "matriarch."
She said: "I've reflected on that first official engagement that I had with her, how special that felt.
"I feel fortunate. And I continue to be proud to have had a nice warmth with the matriarch of the family. There's been such an outpouring of love and support.
"I'm really grateful that I was able to be with my husband to support him, especially during that time.
"What's so beautiful is to look at the legacy that his grandmother was able to leave on so many fronts."
The former Suits actress – who has children Archie, three, and 16-month Lili with the Duke of Sussex – added that she feels a "deep gratitude" towards the Queen.
She said it has been a "complicated time" and admitted that she and her husband take comfort in knowing that the monarch has been "reunited" with Prince Philip, who died in April 2021 at the age of 99.
She told Variety: "Certainly, in terms of female leadership, she is the most shining example of what that looks like.
"I feel deep gratitude to have been able to spend time with her and get to know her. It's been a complicated time, but my husband, ever the optimist, said, 'Now she's reunited with her husband'."
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