Meghan Markle has given an insight into how the Queen's death affected the royal family.
In an interview for the latest issue of Variety - on which Markle is the cover star - the former Suits actor and now Duchess of Sussex said it had been a "complicated time" for the royals.
She even revealed what her husband Prince Harry said when his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II passed away last month.
The Duchess began by saying how grateful she was to have been with her husband during the mourning period and praised the late monarch's leadership.
"What’s so beautiful is to look at the legacy that his grandmother was able to leave on so many fronts. Certainly, in terms of female leadership, she is the most shining example of what that looks like," Markle said, adding: "I feel deep gratitude to have been able to spend time with her and get to know her."
She went on to reflect on how her husband - and the royal family as a whole - have coped with the Queen's death, saying: "It’s been a complicated time."
The mom-of-two added that Prince Harry had tried to look at things positively, recalling how "my husband, ever the optimist, said, 'Now she’s reunited with her husband.'"
Over the past few years, the Sussexes have stoked rumors of a rift between themselves and the rest of the royal family. In early 2020, they stepped back from their duties as senior royals and moved their family to live in America.
Despite this, Markle insisted that she "had a nice warmth" with the Queen.
She also explained how the death of the monarch has helped her to gain "perspective" and feel more focused than ever on her philanthropic work.
"In big moments in life, you get a lot of perspective. It makes you wonder what you want to focus your energy on. Right now, we feel energized and excited about all of the things we've been building toward. We’re also focused on our foundation. So much of the work we do includes the philanthropic space," she said.
After moving to the US, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex launched the Archwell Foundation - a non-profit that aims to "uplift and unite" communities around the world.
