Why Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were not invited to Trooping the Colour
16 June 2023, 16:01
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not attend Trooping the Colour 2023.
Prince Harry, 38, and Meghan Markle, 41, will not be attending Trooping the Colour in London this weekend.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who are no longer working members of the Royal Family, have not attended the event since 2019 and it looks like that is not likely to change anytime soon.
Trooping the Colour is the traditional annual celebration of the monarch's birthday, with this year's event marking the first of King Charles' reign.
According to People, not only are Harry and Meghan not attending, they reportedly did not even receive an invitation to the event.
Why are Harry and Meghan not going to Trooping the Colour?
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are not believed to be attending Trooping the Colour after it was reported they weren't even invited to the event.
Last year's Trooping the Colour was combined with the late Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, which Harry and Meghan did attend.
They were not, however, on the balcony for the flypast as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family.
At the time, a statement from Buckingham Palace stated: "After careful consideration, the Queen has decided this year's traditional Trooping the Colour balcony appearance on Thursday, 2nd June, will be limited to Her Majesty, and those members of the royal family who are currently undertaking official public duties on behalf of the Queen."
Prince Andrew was also excluded from the balcony last year.
The last time the couple attended the 200-year-old event was 2019, prior to their departure from the UK.
Harry is believed to have last seen his family was on the day of the King's Coronation, however, he is said to have left swiftly after the ceremony.
Meghan was also invited to the historic event, but remained in California with their children as Archie, their eldest, was turning four-years-old on the same day.
The reason the couple were not invited to this year's Trooping the Colour is not clear, however, it is no secret things have been tense between Harry and his family since the release of his bombshell autobiography Spare.
Who will be on the balcony for Trooping the Colour?
The rest of the Royal Family will be out in force and will stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the flypast on the big day.
Making an appearance on the balcony will be the likes of King Charles and Queen Camilla, Princess Anne, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Prince and Princess of Wales.
In previous years, non-working members of the Royal Family have also been part of the balcony moment, however, it is not confirmed if they will be joining this year.
These would include Prince Andrew's daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, Princess Anne's daughter Zara Philips and her husband Mike Tindall, to name a few.
It is also expected that, as per usual, Kate Middleton and Prince William's children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will appear on the balcony.
Read more:
- What time is Trooping the Colour and how long does it last?
- Kate Middleton Trooping the Colour outfits: Every ensemble the Duchess of Cambridge has worn
- Why Kate Middleton wore Princess Diana's earrings the 'wrong way' for King Charles's Coronation
