Queen Elizabeth Was 'Thrilled' to Meet Princess Lilibet, Who Crawled Around Her Feet During Their Only Meeting, Book Claims

The late Queen Elizabeth met her namesake great-grandchild Princess Lilibet just once before she died

NEED TO KNOW

• After stepping back from royal life, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle brought their children to the U.K. to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee

• "The Queen would finally get to meet Lilibet and was thrilled, say friends, as the one-year-old crawled around her feet," royal biographer Robert Hardman writes in his new book, 'Elizabeth II'

The lateQueen Elizabethmet her namesake great-grandchildPrincess Lilibetjust once before she died.

In his new biography of the late monarch,Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. Her Story, Robert Hardman looks back on one of the last times that the royal family came together to celebrate the life and legacy of the matriarch. In June 2022, a series of events marked the Queen'sPlatinum Jubilee, her 70th year on the throne.

Prince HarryandMeghan Markle, who hadstepped back from royal lifeand moved to California two years prior, returned to the U.K. for the festivities and brought their children: Princess Lilibet, now 4, and her older brother,Prince Archie, now 6.

"The Queen would finally get to meet Lilibet and was thrilled, say friends, as the 1-year-old crawled around her feet," Hardman writes inElizabeth II, out May 19.

Prince Harry, now 41, also recounted the scene inhis 2023 memoir,Spare, recalling how he looked back on the memory in the days followinghis grandmother's death.

"I also couldn’t stop picturing [the children] with Granny. The final visit. Archie making deep, chivalrous bows, his baby sister Lilibet cuddling the monarch’s shins," he wrote.

"Sweetest children, Granny said, sounding bemused. She’d expected them to be a bit more…American, I think? Meaning, in her mind, more rambunctious," he added.

It marked the only time that Queen Elizabeth met Princess Lilibet before her death on Sept. 8, 2022, at age 96.

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In his book, the Duke of Sussex also looked back fondly on his own playful moments with the late monarch, when she seemed more like "Granny" than Queen.

"Stationed beside her on the balcony, saying something that caught her off guard and made her, despite the solemnity of the occasion, laugh out loud," he recalled. "Making a silly video for the first Invictus Games, discovering that she was a natural comedienne."

"People around the world howled, and said they’d never suspected she possessed such a wicked sense of humor—but she did, she always did! That was one of our little secrets," he added. "In fact, in every photo of us, whenever we’re exchanging a glance, making solid eye contact, it’s clear: We had secrets."

In his book, Hardman also writes abouta final wish for her great-grandchildrenthat she shared in her final months: for them to join her at Balmoral Castle in Scotland one last time.

"The Queen wanted all the great-grandchildren to come up to Balmoral at some point over that summer, even if the Sussexes might not be able to make it," Hardman writes, according to an excerpt published by theDaily Mail.

" 'She wanted to make sure that they all had a really happy memory of her,' explained a friend of the family," he wrote.

Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up forour free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

Prior to her death, Queen Elizabeth was a great-grandmother to 12 great-grandchildren, includingPrince WilliamandKate Middleton's kids,Prince George, 12,Princess Charlotte, 10, andPrince Louis, 7. (Since then, two more great-grandchildren have been born:Princess Eugenie's second son, Ernest, andPrincess Beatrice's second daughter, Athena.)

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April 10, 2026

Queen Elizabeth Was 'Thrilled' to Meet Princess Lilibet, Who Crawled Around Her Feet During Their Only Meeting, Book Claims

The late Queen Elizabeth met her namesake great-grandchild Princess Lilibet just once before she died NEED TO KNOW ...

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How Dakota Johnson Feels About Role Model as Their Romance Becomes ‘More Than a Fling’

THE RUNDOWN

• Dakota Johnson and Role Model’s relationship has become “more than a fling,” a source told People.

• The insider revealed what their dynamic is like days after photos surfaced of them kissing.

• The actress and musician were first romantically linked late last year.

Dakota Johnson and Role Model (whose real name is Tucker Pillsbury) are still together as the spring continues—andtheir romanceis deepening, a source toldPeople. Shortly afterphotos of themkissing came out this weekend, an insider discussed the progression of their relationship with the outlet, along with how Johnson feels about the musician.

“It’s definitely more than a fling, or just a flirt,” the insider said, revealing they’ve been seeing each other “since late last year.”

Johnson is proceeding cautiously, the source added: “[She] does really like [him] but is also taking things slow after her previous long-term relationship.” (Johnson and her ex Chris Martinended their engagementlast year.)

And Role Model is understanding, the insider said: “[They’re] very much on the same page, and it just feels easy. She thinks he’s cute, and he treats her incredibly well.”

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In early November, a sourcetoldPeoplethat Johnson had “been slowly dating again, and she’s happy. Her relationship with Chris was often hot and cold, and while she always hoped they’d work out, she seems lighter and more at peace now that [their breakup is] final.”

On March 12, an insider gavePeoplean updateon Johnson’s love life, noting that she was not rushing into any relationship and that her connection with Role Model was “just casual.”

Johnson hasn’t spoken about the musician, but she discussed her dating experience more broadly withELLE UKlast May while promoting her rom-comMaterialists.

“I find the whole concept of the film so interesting, because it’s so foreign to me,” she said. “I’ve never dated anybody. I’ve had boyfriends, but I have never been on a dating app. I just don’t know that world. So, it was so interesting and intriguing. It’s the most beautiful side of humanity, but it can also be the most ugly. Loving someone is the most scary and beautiful thing you can do.”

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April 09, 2026

How Dakota Johnson Feels About Role Model as Their Romance Becomes ‘More Than a Fling’

THE RUNDOWN Dakota Johnson and Role Model’s relationship has become “more than a fling,” a source told People . ...

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Here's where things stand after a tentative, 2-week Iran ceasefire took effect

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The ceasefire reached Wednesday hasraised hopes of halting hostilitiesbetween Iran, Israel and the United States, but many issues remain unresolved.

Reaching a permanent deal will be key to ending a war that'sshaken the Middle Eastand globalenergy markets. But there are vast differences between U.S. President Donald Trump andIran's surviving leaders, and America's ally Israel has its own interests.

Here's where things stand.

Iran's government

Trump has suggested there has been “regime change” in Iran after U.S. and Israeli strikes killed the 86-year-old Supreme LeaderAyatollah Ali Khameneion the first day of the war and a slew of other top officials and military leaders thereafter.

But Khamenei was succeeded byhis son, Mojtaba, who is close to the country's Revolutionary Guard and seen as even more hostile toward the U.S. He is believed to have been wounded in the strike that killed his father and has not been seen or spoken in public since the start of the war.

The political class devoted to maintaining Iran's Shiite theocracy remains intact. Many Iranians are angry at their leaders, but there has been no sign of an uprising since authoritiescrushed mass protestsin January, before the war.

Iran's nuclear program

All of Iran's highly enriched uraniumremains in the country, likely entombed at enrichment sites bombed by the U.S. during a 12-day war last June. Iran hasn't enriched since then but maintains it has the right to do so for peaceful purposes and denies seeking nuclear weapons.

Trump said Wednesday that the U.S. would work with Iran to “dig up and remove” the uranium — though Iran did not confirm that.

Trump, along with Israel, has called for Iran to completely dismantle its nuclear program. Iran rejected that in its 10-point proposal for ending the war.

Iran's missile program

Since the war began Feb. 28, Iran has launched more than 5,000 drones, over 2,100 ballistic missiles and over 50 cruise missiles, according to statistics from the Washington-based Jewish Institute for National Security of America, which has close ties to the Israeli military.

Before the war, JINSA estimated Iran's arsenal to be between 8,000 to 10,000 ballistic missiles of various ranges. No public estimate exists of Iran's drone stockpile.

The U.S. and Israel say they destroyed or buried many of Iran's missile launchers. Israel says it also greatly reduced Iran's ability to produce and launch missiles but did not eliminate the threat — and Iran continued launching attacks.

Iran's military

The U.S. military's Central Command said it destroyed over 150 ships — effectively sinking the Iranian navy. Multiple Iranian warplanes, helicopters and other equipment were destroyed, along with military installations and missile factories.

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That didn’t stop Iran from effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway through which around a fifth of the world’s traded oil passes, and erectinga virtual toll boothto charge countries for using it.

Iran's ‘Axis of Resistance’

Israel mauled Iran's allied militant groups across the region in wars sparked byHamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attackout of the Gaza Strip.

Lebanon's Hezbollah, the strongest such group,is still battling Israel, fighting that Israel says will continue despite the ceasefire. Yemen's Houthi rebels, targeted by Israeli and U.S. airstrikes in recent years, only fired on Israel a few times during the war and left Red Sea shipping alone. Hamas still controls around half of Gaza andhas yet to disarmunder a U.S.-brokered ceasefire.

Israel wants Iran to end its support for such groups, something Tehran has refused to do and did not mention in its peace proposal.

The Strait of Hormuz

Before the war, ships freely passed through the Strait of Hormuz, in the territorial waters of Iran and Oman. Since the war, Iran reportedly has been charging as much as $2 million a vessel to allow them to pass.

Iran and Oman are working on a proposal to split fees in the waterway, and Tehran insists it will maintain military control there, potentially granting itself a new source of revenue in the face of international sanctions.

Trump says America will be “hangin' around” to ensure traffic passes. The U.S. and other countries are likely to oppose the new system, setting up a potential flashpoint.

Gulf Arab countries

Gulf Arab nations can't be happy about how the war has turned out.

Iranian attacks caused widespread damage to oil and gas facilities, airports and other sites, piercingtheir carefully cultivated imageas stable business and tourism hubs. Qatar, one of the world's top natural gas producers, has said it will take years to restore its output.

Gulf countries' distrust of Iran has never been deeper and their faith that the U.S. will defend them has been shaken. U.S. bases across the region suffered direct strikes, but there’s no indication of any American withdrawal, as Iran has demanded.

More tactical gains for Israel, but no knockout blow

Israel was repeatedly targeted by Iranian fire but its advanced air defenses andextensive network of bomb sheltersprovided significant protection.

Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahusays Israel inflicted major losses on Iran, but the U.S. and Israel fell short of eliminating its nuclear or missile programs. His hoped-for uprising that would topple the Islamic Republic has yet to materialize.

Israel says it has assurances the U.S. will address Iran's nuclear and missile programs in negotiations. But many Israelis are likely to be disappointed by yet another inconclusive war, whichcould weigh on Netanyahuahead of elections later this year.

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April 09, 2026

Here's where things stand after a tentative, 2-week Iran ceasefire took effect

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The ceasefire reached Wednesday hasraised hopes of halting hostilitiesbetween Iran, Israel and the U...

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Trump statements about Iran raise questions about international law

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump'srecent statements of intentabout his administration's plans for Iran — some laced with profanity, some threatening deeply destructive, nation-shattering actions — have raised questions aboutinternational law.

Here's a short breakdown of some of the issues at play.

Could this raise war crimes questions?

In hisnews conference on Monday, Trump threatened to blow up every bridge and power plant in Iran, an action that would be so far-reaching that some experts in military law said it could constitute a war crime. The issue could turn on whether the power plants were legitimate military targets, whether the attacks were proportional compared with what Iran has done and whether civilian casualties were minimized.

Trump’s threat did not seem to account for the harm to civilians, prompting Democrats in Congress, some U.N. officials and scholars in military law to say such strikes would violate international law.

The president’s eventual actions often fall short of his all-encompassing rhetoric in the moment, but hiswarnings about the power plantsand bridges were unambiguous both on Sunday and Monday ashe set a deadline of Tuesdaynight for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump said Mondaythat he’s “not at all” concerned about committing war crimes as he continues to threaten destruction. He also warned that every power plant will be “burning, exploding and never to be used again.”

He followed up Tuesday morning with this threat on Truth Social: “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.”

And last month, shortly after the war started, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said there would be “no stupid rules of engagement, no nation building quagmire, no democracy building exercise, no politically correct wars. We fight to win and we don’t waste time or lives.”

What the U.N. and experts say about Trump's words

A spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday warned that attacking such infrastructure is banned under international law.

“Even if specific civilian infrastructure were to qualify as a military objective,” Stephane Dujarric said, an attack would still be prohibited if it risks “excessive incidental civilian harm.”

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Rachel VanLandingham, a Southwestern Law School professor who served as a judge advocate general in the U.S. Air Force, said civilians are likely to die if power is cut to hospitals and water treatment plans. “What Trump is saying is, ‘We don’t care about precision, we don’t care about impact on civilians, we’re just going to take out all of Iranian power generating capacity,’” the retired lieutenant colonel said.

Shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint in the Persian Gulf through which 20% of the world’s oil normally flows, has been all but halted, sending oil prices soaring and roiling the stock market.

Under the U.N. Charter, nations are only permitted to use force against another nation if it has been authorized by the Security Council or in self-defense, said Marieke de Hoon, an associate professor of international criminal law at the University of Amsterdam.

What Trump is threatening to attack

As the conflict has entered its second month, Trump has escalated his warnings to bomb Iran’s infrastructure,including Kharg Island, central toIran’s oil industry, anddesalination plants that provide drinking water.

In a Truth Social post on March 30, Trump warned that the U.S. would obliterate “all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!), which we have purposefully not yet ‘touched.’”

On Easter Sunday, Trump threatened in an expletive-laden post that Iran will face “Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one,” while adding that “you’ll be living in Hell” unless the strait reopens.

“This strikes me as clearly a threat of unlawful action,” said Michael Schmitt, a professor emeritus at the U.S. Naval War College and an international law professor at the University of Reading in Britain.

A power facility can be attacked under the laws of armed conflict if it provides electricity to a military base in addition to civilians, Schmitt said. But the strike must not “cause disproportionate harm to the civilian population, and you’ve done everything to minimize that harm.”

Harm does not include inconvenience or fear, said Schmitt, who has taught military commanders. But it does mean severe mental suffering, physical injury or illness.

Associated Press journalists Ben Finley, Lindsay Whitehurst, Gary Fields and Mike Corder contributed to this report.

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April 08, 2026

Trump statements about Iran raise questions about international law

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump'srecent statements of intentabout his administration's plans for Iran — some laced wit...

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Israeli airstrike kills at least 10 near Gaza school as ceasefire strains

By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Mahmoud Issa

CAIRO/GAZA, April 6 (Reuters) - An Israeli airstrike killed at least 10 people and wounded several others outside a school housing displaced Palestinians on Monday, health officials said, in the ‌latest violence overshadowing the fragile U.S.-backed Gaza ceasefire deal.

Before the strikes, some Palestinians had clashed with members ‌of an Israeli-backed militia, who they said attacked the school in an attempt to abduct some people, medics and residents said.

In the midst of ​the clashes, east of the Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, Israeli drones fired two missiles into the area, killing at least 10 people and wounding several others, they added.

It was not immediately clear how many civilians had been killed in the strikes, which hit in a closely packed neighborhood of mostly displaced Palestinians.

Ahmed al-Maghazi, an eyewitness, said their area was ‌attacked by members of the Israeli-backed militia ⁠who operate in the territory adjacent to where the Israeli forces are in control, before the militia opened fire.

"The residents tried to defend their homes, but the occupation forces targeted them ⁠directly," he told Reuters.

Later on Monday, a leader of one of the Israeli-backed militias said in a video, which Reuters couldn't immediately authenticate, that they killed some five Hamas members .

There was no immediate comment from Hamas, which brands those groups that operate in areas ​under ​Israeli control as "Israeli collaborators."

Earlier on Monday, an Israeli airstrike killed one ​Palestinian and wounded a child as they traveled ‌on a motorbike in Gaza City, medics said.

Medics said that Israeli forces killed another Palestinian when they opened fire on a vehicle in central Gaza, taking Monday's death toll to at least 12.

The Israeli military had no immediate comment on any of the three incidents on Monday.

The Palestinian group Hamas, which has run Gaza since 2007, and Israel have traded blame over violations of the ceasefire that kicked off in October.

The Gaza health ministry says Israeli fire has killed at ‌least 700 people since the ceasefire began. Israel says four soldiers ​have been killed by militants in Gaza over the same period.

The violence ​comes as Hamas has continued to resist relinquishing its ​weapons, a major obstacle in talks to implement the next steps in U.S. President Donald ‌Trump’s proposed peace plan for Gaza.

On Sunday, Hamas' armed ​wing said that discussing the ​group's disarmament before Israel fully implements the first phase of Trump's Gaza plan was an attempt to continue what it called a genocide against the Palestinian people.

Hamas' October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel killed 1,200 people, ​according to Israeli tallies.

Israel's ensuing two-year campaign ‌killed more than 72,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to Gazan health authorities.

The offensive spread famine, ​reduced most of the strip to rubble, and displaced the majority of its population.

(Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi ​in Cairo and Mahmoud Issa in Gaza.Editing by Keith Weir)

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April 08, 2026

Israeli airstrike kills at least 10 near Gaza school as ceasefire strains

By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Mahmoud Issa CAIRO/GAZA, April 6 (Reuters) - An Israeli airstrike killed at least 10 people and wounded...

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Trump administration ends some civil rights settlements backing transgender students

By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON, April 6 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's administration said on Monday it was terminating resolution agreements backing transgender students that prior administrations had reached ‌with some school districts.

The U.S. Education Department said it was terminating six resolution agreements ‌reached through what it called the manipulation of Title IX. The Title IX civil-rights statute bars the denial of benefits ​or discrimination in education "on the basis of sex."

Since taking office, Trump has cracked down on schools and colleges with executive orders and threats to freeze federal funds over issues like transgender rights, climate programs, diversity initiatives and pro-Palestinian protests against Israel's war in Gaza.

Transgender people in particular have faced increasing ‌limitations as Trump has issued a ⁠series of executive actions targeting their rights and stated in a directive that the U.S. government will recognize only two sexes: male and female.

The Education ⁠Department said its Office for Civil Rights will no longer monitor or enforce deals reached with the Sacramento City Unified School District in California, the Cape Henlopen School District in Delaware, the Fife School ​District in ​Washington state, the Delaware Valley School District in Pennsylvania, ​the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District ‌in California and Taft College in California.

The Sacramento City Unified School District said it remained "committed to the support of our LGBTQ+ students and staff."

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The La Mesa-Spring Valley School District said it was on spring break and anticipated no effect from the Department of Education's move. It added that the resolution agreement had already been implemented and that, based on its understanding, it related to a ‌case involving a gender non-conforming student at an elementary ​school.

The other school districts and Taft College did not ​respond to requests for comment.

The Education Department statement ​did not elaborate on the specifics of the terminations, which were reported ‌earlier by the New York Times.

Those civil-rights settlements ​had aimed at ensuring ​the rights of transgender students to equal opportunity to an education, the newspaper reported.

"Today, the Trump Administration is removing the unnecessary and unlawful burdens that prior Administrations imposed on ​schools in its relentless pursuit of ‌a radical transgender agenda," Education Department official Kimberly Richey said.

Trump's crackdown on transgender ​rights has been condemned by LGBT groups and human-rights advocates.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in ​Washington; Editing by Matthew Lewis and Christopher Cushing)

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April 07, 2026

Trump administration ends some civil rights settlements backing transgender students

By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON, April 6 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's administration said on Monday it was terminat...

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Strawberry pots aren't just for the fruit. Its 'windows' make for striking, efficient displays

You’ve seen them — those odd planters that look like buildings with windows and balconies on their sides. Maybe you’veplanted strawberriesin them. Or maybe you’ve just never understood them.

Gardening - Strawberry Pots

Typically made of terracotta, the pots are usually tall and urn-shaped, but shorter, wider options are also available.

They are, in fact, strawberry pots, and those windows are intended to hold soil and strawberries, keeping them off the ground as they grow and, therefore, protecting them from rotting. But think outsidethe pot, and you’ll find they make lovely (and efficient) displays for other plants, too.

Striking yet practical displays

The fenestrated containers can be planted withsucculentslike hens and chicks. Consider the orange and yellow ‘Gold Nugget’ or the silver-haired ‘Cobweb’ varieties for aneye-catching display. In colder areas, the whole pot can be brought indoors for winter; just ensure the succulentsget ample sunlight, and avoid overwatering.

Or create a space-saving culinaryherb gardenby filling the “balcony” pockets with cooking essentials like parsley, sage, thyme, mint and oregano, placing the smaller species at the bottom of the pot and larger ones higher up. Then plant a tall herb like rosemary or basil in the opening at the top and — voila! — you’ve created an instant centerpiece. You might even incorporate a few dwarf marigolds for color.

Herbs, too, can be brought indoors and grown (and used!) in the kitchen over winter.

Colorful trailing florals and vines

Trailingflowersand vines make a statement as theyspill from the containers’ openings. Keep it monochrome, or plant a rainbow of colors for a dazzling display.

Trailing geraniums, petunias, and chartreuse or purple sweet potato vines can be alternated around the sides of the pot. A dramatic grass, like Cordyline ‘Festival,’ can be planted at the top of larger planters, black mondo grass in smaller ones.

Nasturtiums, million bells, trailing verbena and sweet alyssum also lend themselves nicely to the pots. Green ivies provide a more understated aesthetic.

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If you don’t have a lot of sunlight, consider combining different varieties of caladium and coleus for acolorful display.

Keeping it sufficiently watered

Regardless of what you’re planting, ensuring water reaches the roots of every plant in a strawberry pot can pose a bit of a challenge — but there’s an easy solution.

Cut a piece of PVC piping slightly longer than the pot’s height, then drill holes 2 inches (5 centimeters) apart along its sides.

At planting time, add potting mix up to the pot’s bottom openings, then position the pipe vertically in the center. Insert plants through the holes (from the inside out), add more potting mix to reach the next level of openings and add more plants. Repeat until you reach the top of the pot, packing the soil tightly as you go.

Water and fertilize through the pipe, which will be hidden as the centerpiece plant grows.

Strawberry pots are available in various materials, but the traditional versions are made of clay, which can crack in freezing temperatures. If your area experiences cold winters, bring them indoors in autumn, either emptied of their annuals, cleaned and stored, or still housing tropicals, evergreens or herbs, andtreat them as houseplants over winter.

Jessica Damiano writes regular gardening columns for The Associated Press. She publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter.Sign up herefor weekly gardening tips and advice.

For more AP gardening stories, go tohttps://apnews.com/hub/gardening.

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April 07, 2026

Strawberry pots aren't just for the fruit. Its 'windows' make for striking, efficient displays

You’ve seen them — those odd planters that look like buildings with windows and balconies on their sides. Maybe you’veplanted strawberr...

Read More