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Markle joined her husband-to-be and Britain's
other senior royals including Harry's father, Prince Charles,
and his elder brother Prince William and his wife Kate at
London's Westminster Abbey for the Commonwealth service.
British Prime Minister Theresa May and Patricia Scotland, the
Commonwealth Secretary-General were among the 2,000-strong
congregation for the service, the largest annual inter-faith
gathering in the United Kingdom, which also included more than
800 schoolchildren and young people.
Elizabeth has been head of the Commonwealth since 1952 and aides
say she regards the success of the organization, which now has
53 members representing over 2.4 billion people, as one of her
greatest achievements as queen.
She has made more than 200 trips to Commonwealth countries
during her 66-year reign, visiting every country except Cameroon
and Rwanda.
London will host next month's Commonwealth Heads of Government
Meeting where the BBC and other British media have speculated
the issue of who will succeed the 91-year-old monarch might be
discussed.
"Having enjoyed the warm hospitality of so many Commonwealth
countries over the years, I look forward to the pleasure of
welcoming the leaders of our family of 53 nations to my homes in
London and Windsor," the queen said in a statement.
Windsor Castle, west of London, also will be the setting for the
wedding of Harry and actress Markle, star of U.S. TV drama
"Suits", on May 19.
(Reporting by Michael Holden; editing by Stephen Addison)
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