Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attended the Commonwealth Services at Westminster Abbey on Monday as their final royal appearance before stepping down as senior royals on March 31st.
Meghan looked absolutely stunning in an emerald green dress with a matching cape, and Harry paired a blue suit with a light blue tie. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were reunited with Kate Middleton and Prince William for the first time since they announced their intent to become financially independent and move to Canada with their son Archie. Both couples didn’t join the Queen’s procession which they have typically done in prior years and instead were escorted to their seats right before services began.
After an awkward greeting between the two couples many noticed that Meghan and Harry were sitting in the row behind Kate and William. Fans were confused by their seating arrangement, but it actually has nothing to do with the couple’s departure from royal life. Instead the location is based on their ranking to the throne.
Since Prince Harry is sixth in line to the throne after Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, they were seated behind Kate and William. Last year, the couple also sat in the same order by joining The Queen’s row and sitting next to Charles and Camilla with Meghan and Harry in the row behind. But Meghan was seated next to Prince Andrew, who was not at this years’ service.
Following the services, Meghan broke royal protocol and was spotted giving a little girl a hug in a heartwarming moment. Meghan and Harry then proudly walked out of Westminster Abbey donning big smiles completing their final official royal engagement before leaving the UK.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s final appearance comes after the two spent nearly a week attending various royal events in the U.K. The pair attended the Mountbatten Music Festival on Saturday and as well as the Endeavour Awards, and on Sunday accepted an invitation from the Queen to join her at Sunday church services. Meghan looked elegant in a black and white ensemble, which she paired with emerald earrings and a headpiece. Meanwhile, the Queen wore head-to-toe powder blue.
This gesture from the Queen may be a show of solidarity in the wake of Meghan and Harry’s decision to step back from their senior royal roles. A source told US Weekly last month, “The Queen is hoping everyone will put on a united front when Harry returns to London in March, even though there’s still tension behind closed doors.”