Prince Harry calls Windsor Castle a 'lonely place' after visiting Queen's favorite home for first time since her death

Prince Harry called Windsor Castle a 'lonely place' without the Queen as he spoke to mourners at the late monarch's beloved Berkshire home on Saturday.

• Prince Harry has called Windsor Castle a 'lonely place' without Queen Elizabeth II, admitting that her 'presence' can be felt in all of its 1000+ rooms. 
• Queen Elizabeth II, who died aged 96 on September 8, resided at the Berkshire property for most of the COVID-19 pandemic before permanently moving there in March. 
• In other royal news, the Royal Family's new titles following Queen Elizabeth II's death – what will Charles, Camilla, William, and Kate now be known as?
  

The Duke of Sussex described Windsor Castle as a 'lonely place' during a royal walkabout on Saturday, following his first visit to the Berkshire property since the Queen's death on Thursday, September 8. 

His solemn words came shortly before Prince Harry reflected on the Queen’s ‘infectious smile’ and ‘sound advice’ in a powerful tribute on his and Meghan Markle's official website, Archewell. The 37-year-old also expressed his gratitude to the beloved monarch for her 70 years of service, before fondly reminiscing on "the first moment you met my darling wife and hugged your beloved great-grandchildren." 

Prince Harry was in England with Meghan Markle when the news broke that the Queen had died aged 96 at Balmoral Castle, after nearly a year of ongoing health issues. 

The royal couple was due to attend the WellChild Awards in London on Thursday evening as the final engagement of their whirlwind European tour, having already traveled to Manchester and Germany for the One Young World Summit and the One Year To Go countdown to the Invictus Games 2023, respectively. 

They pulled out of the charity event at the last minute, however, after Buckingham Palace announced that the Queen was being medically supervised by doctors at Balmoral. Harry, along with the rest of the Royal Family, immediately fled to Scotland, while the Duchess remained at the couple's temporary home of Frogmore Cottage in Windsor. 

Prince Harry and Meghan joined Prince William and Kate Middleton at Windsor Castle on Saturday, marking the royal quartet's first reunion since the Platinum Jubilee. After admiring floral tributes and handwritten condolences left by the public at the gates of the Queen's favorite residence, they completed a royal walkabout to greet well-wishers and mourners. 

Speaking to one member of the public, Harry admitted that Windsor Castle felt very different in the aftermath of his grandmother's passing. 

"It is a lonely place up there now without her," Harry said. "Every room she was in, we felt her presence throughout." 

The Queen permanently moved to Windsor Castle in March, marking the end of her residence at Buckingham Palace. The late monarch reportedly always preferred her Berkshire home to the British monarchy's London headquarters, having spent most of the COVID-19 lockdown there with her husband, Prince Philip. 

"Windsor is the place she loves. She has her memories with Prince Philip there, she has her ponies there and family nearby. It makes sense," said royal author, Hugo Vickers. 

It's understood that William, who has reportedly been estranged from his younger brother for over a year, invited both Harry and Meghan to participate in the tribute to the Queen at Windsor Castle on Saturday. The last time the royal siblings were photographed together was for Princess Diana's statue unveiling at Kensington Palace in July 2021.