When Princess Lilibet celebrated her first birthday, her parents, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, were visiting the UK.
The late Queen Elizabeth had wanted to participate in the celebrations and had reportedly arranged for a cake to be prepared for her young great-granddaughter.
However, Harry and Meghan allegedly chose different arrangements and organized a picnic at Frogmore Cottage. Following this, they reportedly departed for America.
Their departure is said to have left the Queen “confused” and “offended” as the couple apparently did not bid her farewell. She had reportedly been delighted when Prince Harry and Meghan announced they had honored her by naming their daughter Lilibet.
Lilibet was the Queen’s childhood nickname, believed to have originated when she struggled to pronounce Elizabeth and said Lilibet instead. It is understood that being separated from her great-granddaughter brought the Queen sadness in her final years.
She had been eager to spend time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Paul Burrell, one of the Queen’s former footmen, stated: “On Lilibet’s first birthday the Queen didn’t see her – she saw her the day before.”
“But on her birthday, the Queen had a birthday cake made with one candle in it. And they never turned up. That candle was never lit.”
Lilibet’s first birthday was marked with a picnic at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor. Mr Burrell revealed the Queen had anticipated they would visit for tea the following day, but learned they had already returned to America.
The Queen responded with a six-word question: “What do you mean they’ve gone?” He revealed that the Queen was baffled by the abrupt exit and expressed his sense of disappointment on her behalf.
He stated, “Well, I don’t understand anyone who could do that. Not her family, why would you want to? She was devoid of jealousy, anger, envy, all those traits that we associate with other people she didn’t have.
“She was just a very simple soul. I wish the world could have known her the way I knew her.”