Nearly three years ago, Meghan Markle was an ocean away from her sunny Santa Barbara residence.
At the time, the newly minted Duchess of Sussex, fresh off of her fairytale wedding to Prince Harry, had joined Queen Elizabeth II for her first solo engagement with the monarch as a member of the royal family. Together, they spent the day at events in Cheshire, England, including a train ride and performances from local children and students.
During Meghan and Prince Harry's bombshell sit-down interview with Oprah Winfrey, the soon-to-be mom of two recalled that special day with the queen and revealed a gesture she made to the newest member of the family that fans likely missed.
As she remembered, Queen Elizabeth travels with a blanket that she drapes across her knees to keep warm. As they traveled in the car between events that day, Meghan said the matriarch offered her part of the cover. "It was chilly," Meghan described, "and she was like, 'Meghan, come on' and put it over my knees as well."
After the former Suits actress shared the story with Oprah, footage has surfaced of what may be that very moment between the two women. In the clip, you can see through the window as they get settled in the car before Meghan takes one end of the blanket and sets it down near her.
"The queen, for example, has always been wonderful to me," Meghan told Oprah. "We had breakfast together that morning, and she'd given me a beautiful gift and I just really loved being in her company."
While Elizabeth is the sovereign of England, for the new duchess, the queen was a reminder of her own relative. "It made me think of my grandmother," she told Oprah, "where she's always been warm and inviting and really welcoming."
The monarch recently broke her silence on the couple's headline-making interview. "The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan," she said in a statement released by Buckingham Palace on March 9. "The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately. Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members."
For more on Meghan's first-ever meeting with the queen—and her crash course in curtsying—check out E! News' full breakdown of the interview here.