Meghan Markle and Prince Harry capped off what are believed to be their final engagements as working members of the royal family on Monday, March 9 at the Commonwealth Day services—alongside Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Charles, and Queen Elizabeth.
The couple will soon embark on the latest chapter of their lives in North America, starting their new charitable entity and raising baby Archie. Because they will no longer be full-time working royals, their staff in the U.K. has been let go. But, according to Page Six, the Sussexes hosted a special celebration while they were in London to thank their team for all of their hard work.
The “festive” lunch was held at The Goring Hotel on Thursday, March 5. “Harry and Meghan have often done fun things like throwing pizza parties or hiring ice cream trucks for their staff, but they wanted to do something special going into this last week together,” their source said. “They toasted the team and thanked them for everything they have done. Some of the staffers cried.”
“They’ve all been through so much together, and the staff [has] been working around the clock to make sure this last visit was as seamless as possible,” the source continued. “Meghan and Harry really wanted to show their appreciation, they know how hard everyone has worked.”
The lunch for their staff wasn’t the only private event the Sussexes attended while in the U.K. On March 10, they posted previously unseen photos from a meeting they held with youth leaders in their roles as President and Vice President of the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, where they are seen smiling and laughing.
Markle also visited the National Theatre, of which she is a royal patron.
What’s next for Meghan Markle and (Prince) Harry is a bit unknown at the moment. We have yet to hear all the details about the new charity organization they are forming, where exactly in North America they plan to live, or how they plan to make the money they’ll now be allowed to earn outside of the royal fold. But we can’t wait to find out.
