Photo: Samir Hussein/WireImage
Meghan Markle,Prince Harryand their 7-month-old sonArchieskippedChristmas with the Queen this year, but they weren’t far from her mind.
During herannual Christmas address on Wednesday, the monarch, 93, gave her great-grandson a special shout-out.
“Two hundred years on from the birth of my great, great grandmother, Queen Victoria,Prince Philipand I have been delighted to welcome our eighth great grandchild into our family,” she said.
The royal parents were given the Queen’s blessing to spend the holidays as a new family with Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland.
Queen Elizabeth on Christmas Day 2019.Steve Parsons/Getty Images
The royal couple are currently on a break from royal duties and spending the holiday with Archie and Doria in Canada. They previously announced that they would take time off towards the end of the year amid concerns that the intense scrutiny they’ve faced has been tough on the couple.
The couple posted an early morning message on their official Instagram on Christmas Day, writing: “Wishing you all a very merry Christmas.” They accompanied their post with three festive emojis, including a Christmas tree, Santa and a snowman. They also released anadorable card featuring Archiein the lead-up to Christmas.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s 2019 holiday card.
Can’t get enough ofPEOPLE‘s Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates onKate Middleton,Meghan Markleand more!
Shutterstock
The Queen’s speech comes just weeks after her son Prince Andrew’s announcement that he has quit public duties amid his ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. The fallout from Andrew’s disastrous BBC interview about his friendship with the convicted sex offender saw his official royal role collapse to almost nothing in a matter of days. He was removed from his hundreds of charitable patronages and his office was forced out of Buckingham Palace.
In her speech, the monarch spoke of the past year, which she admits has been a trying one.
“Many of us already try to follow in his footsteps. The path, of course, is not always smooth, and may at times this year have felt quite bumpy, but small steps can make a world of difference,” she said.
source: people.com
