King Charles' Royal train set to retire in 2027 after decades of service
King Charles prepares to bid farewell to the royal family’s iconic train, a fond memory involving the Duchess of Sussex has resurfaced, one that highlights a rare and heartwarming moment of royal bonding.
Back in 2018, just weeks after her wedding to Prince Harry, Meghan Markle joined the late Queen Elizabeth II for her very first solo royal engagement aboard the Royal Train ahead of their visit to Cheshire.
It was a significant rite of passage, as very few royals have ever been invited to travel with the monarch on the nine-carriage locomotive.
Prince Harry recalled the moment in his memoir Spare, released in January 2023, sharing how nervous Meghan was before the trip but also how well it went.
"Days later Meg went off on her first royal trip with Granny," Harry wrote.
"She was nervous, but they got on famously. They also bonded over their love of dogs."
Meghan returned from the journey beaming, telling Harry, "We bonded. The Queen and I really bonded!"
She even shared a moment of advice from the Queen, "We talked about how much I wanted to be a mom, and she told me the best way to induce labour was a good bumpy car ride! I told her I’d remember that when the time came."
The beloved nine-carriage locomotive, once a symbol of regal elegance and privacy on the move, will be decommissioned ahead of its maintenance contract expiring in early 2027.
The announcement was revealed in this year’s annual royal accounts, released Monday, and signals a shift in how the royals travel.
Going forward, the family will lean more on two new helicopters for official transport leaving behind the slower but storied charm of train travel.