Prince Harry and Meghan Markle did not join the rest of the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Trooping the Colour — but they didn’t have a choice.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who traveled from their home in Montecito, California, to the U.K. for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee — which celebrates her historic 70 years on the throne —instead watched the annual parade from the Major General’s Office on Thursday, June 2.
The couple enjoyed the event with son Archie and daughter Lilibet, who traveled with their parents to England. The Sussexes “wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly.
While the queen, Prince William, Duchess Kate, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Prince Charles, Camilla Parker-Bowles and more royals watched the celebration from the balcony, Harry and Meghan — who stepped down from their duties as senior royals in 2021 — were not allowed to join them, per his grandmother’s wishes.
“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.
However, there doesn’t seem to be any bad blood between the Sussexes and the queen; she has always had a close relationship with Harry.
In May 2022, the prince and the Suits alum visited the monarch while on their way to the Invictus Games in the Netherlands.
“Being with her, it was great. It was just so nice to see her. She’s [in] great form,” the former military pilot told Hoda Kotb on Today about his grandmother, who had been suffering from various health issues at the time.
“She’s always got a great sense of humor with me,” he added, noting he made her laugh.
The Sussex family’s Platinum Jubilee trip marks the first time Elizabeth will meet her namesake great-granddaughter. (The late Prince Philip, who was married to the queen for 73 years, would call his wife “Lilibet.”) It will also be the first time she sees Archie since he and his parents moved to California in January 2021.
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