Queen Elizabeth Shows Love For Prince Harry And Meghan During Meet With British PM

Queen Elizabeth has shown love towards Prince Harry and Meghan Markle amid the recent tensions between the royal family and the Sussexes as an institution.

During her first in-person meeting since the beginning of the pandemic with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson Wednesday, Queen Elizabeth welcomed him at the Buckingham Palace in London, where several photos of the royal family members were on display.

One of the photos exhibited at the residence of the 95-year-old monarch was an engagement portrait of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, which was placed alongside a bouquet of pink flowers and photos of the other royals. The portrait was accompanied by two other framed photographs, one of Prince William and Kate Middleton and another of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.

Despite the rift in the royal family, especially after Prince Harry and Meghan’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, Prince Harry has remained close to the Queen. A source told Entertainment Tonight that Prince Harry and Meghan sought Queen Elizabeth’s consent before naming their daughter after her. The source also revealed that Her Royal Majesty was the first person that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex called when their newborn arrived.

“The Duke spoke with his family in advance of the announcement, in fact, his grandmother was the first family member he called,” ET quoted a representative for the Queen, as saying. “During their conversation, he shared their hope of naming their daughter Lilibet in her honor. Had she not been supportive, they would not have used the name.”

Queen Elizabeth, Prince Harry, and Meghan have always shared a special connection and their affection has remained intact despite the tensions in the family, royal historian Robert Lacey told PEOPLE.

“We have all focused on her coaching of William as the future king, but we are realizing now the importance of the emotional bonds that she’s been able to establish with Harry, and their ability to talk to each other directly,” Lacey told the publication. “That affection remains.”