Meghan, Duchess of Sussex calls Queen Elizabeth II the 'most shining example' of female leadership

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex has called her husband Prince Harry's late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II the "most shining example" of female leadership.

The British monarch passed away aged 96 at her Balmoral Castle estate in Scotland on 8 September while Meghan and Harry, who live in California, were visiting the U.K. and Europe.

Breaking her silence on the 96-year-old's passing in a cover story for Variety, Meghan shared that she was grateful she got to know The Queen.

"There's been such an outpouring of love and support. I'm really grateful that I was able to be with my husband to support him, especially during that time," she said. "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. I feel deep gratitude to have been able to spend time with her and get to know her."

The former actress added that she feels fortunate she got to attend official engagements with the royal and is proud to "have had a nice warmth with the matriarch of the family".

Meghan, who attended The Queen's state funeral exactly one month ago, admitted it has been "a complicated time" for her family but Harry is looking on the bright side.

"It's been a complicated time, but my husband, ever the optimist, said, 'Now she's reunited with her husband,'" Meghan recalled, referring to Harry's grandfather Prince Philip, who died in April 2021.

"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 added.