Prince Harry once shared a touching memory of the final meeting between Queen Elizabeth II and his children, recalling that the late monarch summed up Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet with just two simple words that captured her delight.

The Duke of Sussex reflected on the encounter in his 2023 memoir Spare, describing the emotional family visit that took place during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022.

The trip marked the first time Harry, Meghan Markle, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet had traveled to the United Kingdom together since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and relocated to North America.

For Queen Elizabeth, it would also become the last opportunity to spend time with two of her youngest great-grandchildren before her death only a few months later.

According to Harry, the meeting left a lasting impression on the monarch.

As he looked back on the Queen’s final months, Harry wrote that one of the memories he continued replaying was watching his children interact naturally with their great-grandmother inside Windsor Castle.

He recalled Archie politely greeting the Queen with what he described as “deep, chivalrous bows,” while little Lilibet happily wandered over to hug the monarch around her legs.

The scene, Harry explained, prompted Queen Elizabeth to smile before describing the youngsters as “sweetest children.”

In the memoir, Harry suggested the Queen seemed pleasantly surprised by how calm and well-mannered the children appeared.

He speculated that she may have expected them to display more energetic American behavior after spending most of their lives growing up in California.

Instead, he believed she was charmed by their quiet confidence and affectionate personalities.

For Harry, the memory became especially meaningful after the Queen died in September 2022.

Reflecting on her passing, he wrote that he repeatedly found himself thinking about those precious moments between his grandmother and his children.

The meeting represented the only known occasion on which Queen Elizabeth spent time with Princess Lilibet.

Born in California in June 2021, Lilibet was named after the Queen’s childhood family nickname, making their first meeting particularly symbolic.

Harry and Meghan introduced their daughter to the monarch shortly after arriving in Britain for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Lilibet had recently celebrated her first birthday during the visit.

Prince Archie, meanwhile, was three years old at the time and had previously met his great-grandmother before the Sussexes moved overseas.

Even so, opportunities for extended family gatherings had become increasingly limited after Harry and Meghan established their new life in California.

The Platinum Jubilee therefore provided a rare chance for multiple generations of the Royal Family to spend time together privately.

Although Harry and Meghan kept a relatively low public profile during the Jubilee celebrations, family meetings took place away from official events.

Buckingham Palace did not release photographs from the private gathering, maintaining the family’s long-standing preference to keep personal occasions out of the public eye.

Nevertheless, both royal sources and Harry himself later described the reunion as warm and emotional.

Following Queen Elizabeth’s death later that year, Harry paid tribute to his grandmother in a heartfelt public statement.

Among the memories he highlighted were the moments she shared with Meghan, Archie and Lilibet.

He thanked the Queen for welcoming his wife into the family and expressed gratitude that she had been able to meet both of his children.

The Duke wrote that he would always treasure the first meeting between the monarch and his young family.

His statement also acknowledged the beginning of King Charles’ reign, describing how one generation’s farewell naturally marked another’s new responsibilities.

King Charles himself also enjoyed a significant family milestone during the Platinum Jubilee visit.

According to royal sources at the time, the future King met Princess Lilibet for the first time during the family’s stay in Britain.

Officials described the meeting as deeply emotional, noting that Charles was delighted to spend time with both Archie and Lilibet.

Sources characterized the reunion as a special opportunity after several years of separation caused by distance and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since then, however, opportunities for further family gatherings have remained limited.

Harry and Meghan returned to Britain later in 2022 following Queen Elizabeth’s death to participate in funeral events alongside other members of the Royal Family.

On that occasion, Archie and Lilibet remained in California.

The Duke and Duchess have not publicly brought both children back to Britain since the Platinum Jubilee.

Harry has frequently spoken about wanting his children to understand both sides of their heritage.

Although Archie and Lilibet are growing up in California, Harry has emphasized his desire for them to know Britain’s history, traditions and the family connections that remain important to him.

Security concerns have consistently complicated those ambitions.

The Duke has repeatedly argued that uncertainty surrounding security arrangements has made bringing his family to Britain increasingly difficult.

Following his departure from working royal duties, government-funded police protection ceased to apply automatically during private visits.

Instead, each visit is assessed individually by the relevant authorities.

Harry has challenged those arrangements through legal action, arguing they create unnecessary risks for his wife and children.

Those concerns have become central to discussions surrounding nearly every proposed family visit to Britain.

Recent reports suggest Harry is preparing for another trip to the United Kingdom connected to preparations for the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham.

The visit has generated renewed speculation about whether Meghan, Archie and Lilibet will accompany him.

Various reports have offered differing accounts regarding the family’s travel plans, with security considerations once again playing a significant role.

Neither Buckingham Palace nor representatives for the Sussexes have confirmed every aspect of the proposed itinerary.

Nevertheless, royal commentators widely agree that Harry hopes his children will eventually spend more time with their British relatives.

That includes opportunities to build stronger relationships with King Charles.

The monarch has reportedly seen Archie only a handful of times since the Sussexes relocated overseas and has met Lilibet only once.

Observers note that the limited contact reflects both geographical distance and the ongoing tensions that have affected family relationships in recent years.

Despite those challenges, Harry has consistently spoken warmly about the bond his children shared with Queen Elizabeth, however brief it proved to be.

His recollections in Spare painted a picture not of constitutional roles or public duties, but of an elderly great-grandmother enjoying simple family moments with curious young children.

The image of Archie politely bowing while Lilibet hugged the Queen’s legs became one of the memoir’s gentlest passages, standing in contrast to the wider controversies explored elsewhere in the book.

For many readers, it also offered a rare glimpse into Queen Elizabeth’s private family life during her final months.

Rather than focusing on state occasions or official engagements, Harry described an intimate encounter filled with affection and quiet humor.

The Queen’s description of Archie and Lilibet as the “sweetest children” reflected a grandmother’s reaction rather than that of a monarch.

As Harry prepares for another visit to Britain, those memories inevitably carry additional significance.

Much has changed since the Platinum Jubilee in 2022.

Queen Elizabeth is no longer alive, King Charles now occupies the throne, and family relationships continue to evolve against the backdrop of public scrutiny.

Yet Harry’s recollection serves as a reminder that beyond the headlines surrounding royal disagreements, legal disputes and constitutional questions, moments of ordinary family affection have remained important to all involved.

For the Duke, the final meeting between Queen Elizabeth and her youngest great-grandchildren appears to be one such memory—one preserved not through official photographs or public ceremonies, but through two simple words that, in his telling, perfectly captured the late monarch’s lasting impression of Archie and Lilibet: the “sweetest children.”