Skipping another affair? After Prince Harry and Meghan Markle publicly attended the Service of Thanksgiving as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, the twosome were notably absent from her “Platinum Party” concert — though other royal family members were in attendance.
Following a packed schedule of Jubilee activities, Buckingham Palace played host to a star-studded “Platinum Party at the Palace” concert on Saturday, June 4. The show — broadcast live for U.K. viewers on the BBC — featured performances by Adam Lambert and the band Queen, Sir Elton John, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ed Sheeran, Diana Ross, Sir Rod Stewart, Alicia Keys, the cast of the West End’s production of Six and more.
“20 years ago I decided I wanted to pick up a guitar because I watched the Golden Jubilee on tv, saw Eric Clapton play Layla and said ‘that’s what I wanna do.’ 10 years later I played ‘The A Team’ at the Diamond Jubilee, and now 10 years on I’m playing the Platinum Jubilee this Sunday,” the “Shivers” musician, 31, captioned a Friday, June 3, Instagram post, teasing his number. “Life is weird how it keeps coming full circle in lovely ways. Tune in on Sunday and see ya there.”
While the musical performers belted out the iconic hits, many of the 96-year-old sovereign’s relatives enthusiastically watched from the crowd. Prince William and Duchess Kate — who attended a Cardiff Castle event in Wales hours earlier — sat in box seats alongside their eldest children: Prince George, 8, and Princess Charlotte, 6. (Their youngest son, Prince Louis, 4, was absent from the musical event.) Prince Charles, Duchess Camilla, Prince Edward, Princess Anne, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie and more members of The Firm were also spotted.
However, the BetterUp Chief Impact Officer, 37, and the Suits alum, 40, did not attend the festivities after traveling to England for the Jubilee. A source told Us earlier this month that they “wouldn’t have missed [the event] for the world.”
The Sussexes — who stepped back from their roles as senior royals in 2020, relocating to California — attended the service at St. Paul’s Cathedral on Friday after watching Trooping the Colour from the Major General’s Office instead of the balcony.
“After careful consideration, the Queen has decided that this year’s traditional Trooping the Colour balcony appearance on Thursday 2nd of 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,” a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said in a statement last month of the sovereign’s plans for her birthday parade.
During the Thursday military flyover, Elizabeth watched the planes via the palace balcony alongside the 39-year-old Duke of Cambridge, the 40-year-old Duchess of Cambridge and their three children — George, Charlotte and Louis. Charles, 73, and Camilla, 74, also stood on the balcony.
Following her Trooping the Colour 2022 debut, Us confirmed Elizabeth had experienced “discomfort” and skipped several other events throughout the weekend, including the Epsom Derby and the “Platinum Party.” While she wasn’t there in person, Her Majesty made a cameo in a cute pre-taped sketch with Paddington Bear, sharing the sandwich she “always” keeps stocked in her purse.
Sign up for Us Weekly's free, daily newsletter and never miss breaking news or exclusive stories about your favorite celebrities, TV shows and more!
Scroll below for more photos from the Buckingham Palace concert:
