Copyright 2010 Mario Testino
Welcome to the family: Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, met Kate Middleton’s parents, Michael and Carole, for the first time on Wednesday. Sources described the meeting as having a “warm atmosphere” and being “a lovely lunch.” Prince William and his future bride, Kate Middleton, were not invited. Kate Middleton herself met the queen in May 2008 at the wedding of Princess Anne’s son, Peter Phillips, and since then they have only met on a handful of occasions. It’s a big week for the queen: Not only is it the last week before an heir to the throne gets married, but she will celebrate her 85th birthday Thursday. Meanwhile, with eight days to go before the big day, Kate Middleton was spotted shopping on trendy King’s Road in London.