Meghan Markle Bonded With the Queen Over Their Shared Love For One Thing — No, It Wasn’t Dogs

Queen Elizabeth II loved traveling—so much so that she visited over 100 countries during her reign. Similarly, her granddaughter-in-law, Meghan Markle, is also a travel aficionado. While the two women have bonded over their love for dogs and motherhood, they also shared another special connection. It turns out both harbored a special affinity for the country, Malta.

Dubbed the ‘Million-Mile Queen,’ Queen Elizabeth traveled more than any head of state in history. However, Malta held a special place in her heart. After all, she spent some of her most carefree years there with Prince Philip after their wedding. In a twist of fate, Markle also shares a familial connection to the country. As reported by Hello! magazine, in 2015, the Duchess embarked on an emotional trip to learn more about her ancestry. During an interview with local food blog Little Rock, she explained, “The trip was mostly about trying to understand where I come from, my identity. There is something so lovely about fitting in a piece of the puzzle.”

According to the Times of Malta, Elizabeth, as a young princess, first visited the island in 1949 to celebrate her second wedding anniversary. At 23, she moved there to live with Prince Philip, enjoying a rare period of bliss — picnics, and enjoying motherhood before royal duties dictated her life. Decades later, her bridesmaid Lady Pamela Hicks told the Daily Mail, “The Princess really loved Malta because she was able to lead a normal life, wander through the town and do some shopping.” The Queen’s final overseas visit with Prince Philip was also to Malta in 2015, where she famously said at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, “Malta is always very special for me. I remember happy days here with Prince Philip when we were first married.”

The Duchess of Sussex, on the other hand, traced her roots and heritage to the beautiful country. Her great-great-grandmother, Mary Bird, was born in Malta in the middle of the 19th century. Coincidentally, she had visited the country the same year as the Queen’s final overseas visit. Kurt Arrigo, a photographer commissioned by Malta Tourism Authority to take snaps of Markle, told The Daily Mail, “She was easy to work with because she had done modelling and photoshoots before. She knew what to do and how to pose and how to hold herself.” Reportedly, Markle in Malta visited Mdina and a 16th-century palace, Casa Rocca Piccola.

The late Queen and Markle's initial connection had more to it than just Malta. The monarch reportedly loved Markle's company and even invited her to her royal Christmas dinner when she was not yet married to Prince Harry. Markle, who has always spoken highly of the Queen, once revealed that they connected over motherhood. “The Queen and I really bonded!” In his memoir, Spare, Harry claimed his wife said, “We talked about how much I wanted to be a mom, and she told me the best way to induce labor was a good bumpy car ride!”