Touching moment grieving Prince Harry comforted by dog

’Louis had the best day and is at his happiest when he is being cuddled, petted and surrounded by people’

A dog owner revealed that her labrador comforted Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, while greeting them outside of Windsor Castle, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were photographed speaking to well-wishers on Saturday, one day after Harry returned from Scotland, as his 96-year-old grandmother passed away there on Thursday.

On Twitter, Sarah Gracie shared multiple photos of her puppy, Louis, outside of Windsor Castle in order to pay “his respects” to the Queen.

In the images, Harry and Meghan could be seen standing in front of a metal gate while they were petting Louis, who directed his face towards the royals.

“When our little pup Louis met Meghan and Harry as we paid our respects to The Queen,” Gracie wrote in the caption, along with the photos of Louis and the couple.

Gracie went on to share more details about Louis’s interaction with the well-wishers and the Duke and Duchess, adding: “We witnessed a really beautiful moment at such a difficult time for them. Louis had the best day and is at his happiest when he is being cuddled, petted and surrounded by people.”

In the responses to her tweets, multiple Twitter users praised the couple and acknowledged how sweet it was to see the dog interacting with them.

“Look at that pup...eyes closed under Harry’s touch...complete trust. Dogs know & recognize good [people],” one wrote.

“I’ve always said you can tell a person by the way they treat animals. Both Meghan and Harry have shown their love for them on numerous occasions,” another added. “People can make all the negative comments they want but I will defend them every time.”

A third person added: “Aww. Lucky Louis got some Sussex love.  I’m sure this was pure joy for Harry and Meghan at this grieving time. They love animals.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are proud dog owners themselves, as they adopted a seven-year-old beagle named Mama Mia in August. During an interview withThe Los Angeles Times, animal rights attorney Shannon Keith said that Meghan reached out to her about wanting an older dog, before ultimately deciding to adopt Mia, who was rescued from an overcrowded research plant in Virginia.

Along with meeting with mourners and viewing floral tributes to the Queen outside of Windsor over the weekend, the couple also reunited with the now Prince and Princess of Wales.

Prince William, Princess Kate, Harry, and Meghan were all dressed in black, as they walked along the gates of the castle, marking the first time that they have all been publicly seen together since the Queen’s jubilee celebrations in June.

Speaking to The Independent about the brothers’ recent reunion, Pauline MacLaran, royal author and lecturer at the University of London, called it “a symbolic gesture to show respect for both their late grandmother and their father, the new King”.