Queen Elizabeth II to Meet Great-Granddaughter Lilibet on Her First Birthday

The Queen has freed up her busy diary over the Jubilee weekend to meet her great-granddaughter, Lilibet, on her first birthday.

Her Majesty, who is 96 years old, is expected to miss the Epsom Derby, one of her favourite sporting events, on June 4.

The family will be celebrating the Queen's platinum Jubilee weekend, and the Queen has made sure to free up time to spend with them.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, along with their two children Archie and Lilibet, are planning on spending the four-day Jubilee weekend at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor alongside the Queen.

However, the platinum Jubilee is expected to tire out the Queen, who has been suffering from episodic mobility problems for the last six months and uses a walking stick to get around.

Aides of the Queen are attempting to keep her diary to a minimum over the course of the next week.

Sources close to the Queen say it is becoming increasingly unlikely she will travel to Epsom for the Derby after all three of her horses pulled out of the race.

The Queen is planning on missing Thursday's Trooping the Colour official salute but will appear twice on the balcony at Buckingham Palace to watch the flypast and to receive a salute from returning guardsmen.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, along with Prince Andrew, are planning on attending Friday's Thanksgiving service at St Paul's Cathedral, with the Queen also hoping to attend.

Before Covid-19 struck, the Queen had only missed the Derby twice, on a state visit to Sweden in 1956 and the 48th anniversary of D-Day in France in 1984.

The Queen first met Harry and Meghan's son Archie for the first time at Windsor Castle in May 2019, with the two-year-old also coming down for the Jubilee celebrations.

However, palace aides are fearful that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex could turn the weekend into a circus.

One royal commentator, Kinsey Schofield, told Talk TV while the couple will stay quiet during the Jubilee, the royal family should prepare for leaks in the coming weeks.

She added the Queen was looking forward to seeing Lilibet and Archie but not the drama that Harry and Meghan bring.

Harry and Meghan have told the Queen they will keep a low profile during the Jubilee celebrations and will only take part in official engagements.

Royal sources said they will avoid unannounced visits elsewhere that might overshadow Her Majesty's celebrations.

Royal historian and author Hugo Vickers said this was the correct approach, telling the New York Post, “I would like to hope that it will all be focused on her.

The fewer distractions there are, the better, frankly.”

As the Queen's landmark event nears, Camilla Tominey has the inside story on how the Sussex bomb is causing headaches behind the palace gates.