Queen Elizabeth II's final wish to bring together all her great-grandchildren at Balmoral Castle in the summer of 2022 was reportedly left unfulfilled due to the absence of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's children. Sources told the publication that this absence caused disappointment within the royal family, particularly for Prince William and Kate Middleton.

The late Queen, who passed away at 96 in September 2022 after a historic 70-year reign, had hoped that the summer before her death would be spent creating lasting memories with her great-grandchildren. This group included Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis from the Wales family, as well as Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, the children of Harry and Meghan.

Royal biographer Robert Hardman, in his book "Queen Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. The Inside Story" detailed that the Queen was "intent on creating lasting memories with her great-grandchildren." Despite stepping back from royal duties in 2020, Harry and Meghan were still invited to partake in this important family gathering.

An insider shared with Radar Online the lingering sadness over the unfulfilled wish. "The Queen's final wish to have all her great-grandchildren together was not fulfilled in the way she had hoped, and that has left a lingering sadness among those who knew how much it meant to her."

The Wales family — Prince William, 43, and Catherine, Princess of Wales, 44 — did attend Balmoral during that summer along with their children. Other relatives such as, Savannah Phillips, Isla Phillips, Mia Tindall, Lena Tindall, Lucas Tindall, Sienna Mapelli Mozzi, and August Brooksbank, were present as well.

A family friend told Hardman, "(Elizabeth) wanted to make sure that they all had a really happy memory of her," as reported by AOL.

However, Harry and Meghan, who had brought their children to the U.K. in June 2022, are not believed to have traveled to Balmoral. Their absence has sparked various narratives citing personal or logistical reasons, but it remains a point of regret among royal circles.

Hardman wrote, "The Queen wanted all the great-grandchildren to come up to Balmoral at some point over that summer (in 2022), even if the Sussexes might not be able to make it."

The Sussexes' decision not to attend fueled criticism, especially as they recently conducted a well-publicized tour of Australia without their children—a move labeled by some as a "faux royal tour."

An official recalled the Queen's condition during that time, telling Hardman, "She was so brave. You could tell she was having a lot of treatment from the bruising on her hands where the cannula had gone in. Her hands seemed permanently bruised."

Elizabeth's private secretary, Edward Young, later noted she died peacefully in her sleep from old age without pain.

Tags
Queen elizabeth, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle