THE QUEEN paid tribute to her late husband Prince Philip during her first public engagement since becoming a great-grandmother for the 11th time.
In her first appearance since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle welcomed their daughter Lilibet, The Queen was seen taking part in a video link from Windsor Castle and proudly wore a brooch given to her as a wedding gift by Philip.
It was a touching nod to her husband, who died aged 99 in April.
The diamond and ruby butterfly brooch was given to her by Philip back in 1947 when they tied the knot.
Such a personal piece is rarely worn by The Queen, with the 95-year-old monarch last donning the beautiful brooch in 2019 for a church service held in Sandringham.
It’s believed the last time she wore the sentimental gift publicly before then was in 2012.
On Tuesday, The Queen held a virtual audience from her home in Windsor to receive the Ambassador from the Republic of South Sudan.
The meeting came just two days after Harry and Meghan confirmed the arrival of their daughter Lilibet, who has been named after his grandmother The Queen.
Lilibet was her childhood nickname and the name Prince Philip used to call The Queen.
When they married, he had penned a letter to his mother-in-law and said of The Queen: “Lilibet is the only ‘thing’ in the world which is absolutely real to me.”
Harry and Meghan’s baby girl – who was born on 4 June – has also been named after his mother Diana, the Princess of Wales. While she’ll go by “Lili”, her full name is Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirmed her arrival in a statement shared to their Archewell website.
It read: “On June 4, we were blessed with the arrival of our daughter, Lili.
“She is more than we could have ever imagined, and we remain grateful for the love and prayers we’ve felt from across the globe.”
It continued: “Thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family.”
Lili is The Queen’s 11th great-grandchild, joining her older brother Archie, two, and Prince William and Kate Middleton’s children George, Charlotte and Louis.
While Lili is not entitled, at this stage, to be an HRH or a princess – thanks to rules set out more than 100 years ago by George V – but she does currently sit eighth in line to the throne.
Her brother Archie is seventh in the line of succession, falling just behind dad Harry who is sixth.
For more Royal Family news, a royal expert claims Harry and Meghan naming their daughter after The Queen is a “major olive branch”.
Plus, find out exactly where everyone sits in the Royal Line of Succession, now Lilibet has been born.
And who will Lilibet’s godparents be? From Meghan Markle and Prince Harry pal Oprah to other A-list celebs they might choose.
