Entertainment

Meghan Markle's First Official Appearance With The Queen Also Featured A One Direction Singer

by Nicole Pomarico
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With just a little over two months to go until she officially becomes part of the royal family, Meghan Markle has made her first official public appearance with Queen Elizabeth. On Monday morning, Markle and the Queen — along with Prince Harry, Prince William, Kate Middleton, and many more — went to an event celebrating Commonwealth Day at Westminster Abbey. And so far, it already looks like Markle's having no trouble at all fitting in.

According to People, the holiday celebrates the Commonwealth, which includes the 53 countries that the Queen rules over. On Commonwealth Day, people from all over gather for an interfaith church service, and this time, Markle was included. She was seen singing along to "God Save The Queen," the U.K.'s national anthem, and after they attend church services, Markle, Middleton, William, and Harry are due to meet with children and attend a reception, so it sounds like their schedule is pretty packed.

The family arrived at Westminster Abbey together, and Markle and Harry even sat behind Queen Elizabeth in church. It's pretty exciting seeing her acclimate into her new family so quickly, especially since it happens to be a family that comes with a lot of responsibility once you join it.

During the service, the royal family also heard eye doctor Andrew Bastawrous speak about his app invention that helps people in developing countries avoid blindness and saw a performance by a gospel choir. Former One Direction member Liam Payne also performed John Mayer's "Waiting on The World To Change." The royal family and a member of 1D under one roof? This was a big event, y'all.

And as People also pointed out, this appearance is a big deal not just because of the occasion it's celebrating, but because Markle hasn't married Harry yet. Middleton didn't make any appearances with the Queen before she and William tied the knot in 2011. In fact, she didn't even attend church with the Queen, William, and their family until their first married Christmas, eight months after their wedding. But Markle's already out there, and she's got the first Christmas in the bag, too. The fact that Markle is already fulfilling these royal duties before she's officially part of the family is a huge deal. Does this mean the Queen adores her just as much as fans of the royal family seem to? It's definitely possible.

However, it might also be because Markle has voiced her interest in the Commonwealth before. During their post-engagement interview, Harry and Markle said they want to work with the young people of the Commonwealth, hoping to be able to change their lives "for good."

Although the Queen seemed to arrive separately, William, Middleton, Markle, and Harry all got to Westminster Abbey at the same time, and they looked pretty happy as they walked into the event together. Side note: Please take notice of Middleton's bump, because in the midst of all this wedding excitement, let's not forget that it's almost time for another royal baby to enter the world.

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And then, there's the Queen herself, who was grinning as she made her way into the church:

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As the family left the church services, children were waiting to give the Queen posies, and if you're a little jealous of them, don't worry — you are most certainly not the only one.

All in all, it seems like it was another successful Commonwealth Day, especially for Markle's first. There are undoubtedly many in her future, and although we didn't get a photo of Markle and the Queen posing together this year, this is hardly the only opportunity for that. The wedding day is coming, and it's going to be so much fun to see Markle finally join the royal family officially.