Meghan Markle to spend OVERNIGHT with Queen as pair travel to Cheshire on royal train
MEGHAN Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, is to spend the night with the Queen when she travels overnight to Cheshire on the Royal Train. Prince Harry’s grandmother has asked her new American granddaughter-in-law to join her for a day of engagements next Thursday.
The Royal Train passes through Newcastle station
This means the duchess will set off on a royal ride with the Queen on Wednesday before the pair arrive at Runcorn Station on Thursday morning.
Such an occasion marks the first time the Duchess of Sussex will attend an event with the Queen alone.
Meghan Markle and the UK’s longest-serving monarch will attend a range of events in Cheshire next week, including opening the Mersey Gateway Bridge and Storyhouse Theatre.
Both will then attend a lunch at Chester Town Hall as part of the engagement.
The nine-carriage Royal Train has been used since 1842 when Queen Victoria became the first British monarch to move around using the rail.
The Queen, Prince Philip, Prince Charles and Camilla are all entitled to ride the Royal rail, but not even Prince Harry or the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have ever used it on an official basis.
In addition to featuring carriages with dining and lounging facilities, there are also areas for sleeping.
The train also features a bath that the Queen has used many times.
The occasion marks the first time the Duchess of Sussex will attend an event with the Queen alone
It is understood last year members of the Royal Family travelled on the train 14 times.
The trips cost taxpayers a total of £900,000.
Buckingham Palace has admitted using the locomotive is costly, but it argues the Queen finds using it more comfortable on overnight and long-distance journeys.