For the second year in a row, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not be part of the Trooping the Colour celebrations, marking King Charles III’s official birthday on June 15. This annual event is a grand spectacle consisting of a parade featuring soldiers, horses, and musicians, promenading through the streets of London.
Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who in 2020 renounced their official royal responsibilities and relocated to California, have not been invited to the event this year. This follows their absence from last year’s celebrations, the first since King Charles ascended the throne.
The couple attended the Trooping the Colour in 2018 and 2019, shortly after their royal wedding and the birth of their son, Archie, respectively. But their roles within the royal family have undergone significant changes since then.
The Sussexes’ non-participation has been related to their ongoing difficulties with the royal family. A source revealed to Entertainment Tonight that the couple was not invited to this year’s event, in line with the tense relationships that have been maintained since they stepped back from royal duties.
The decision by King Charles to exclude his son and daughter-in-law appears to follow the precedent set by Queen Elizabeth II during last year’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. During that time, the Sussexes were present but conspicuously absent from the Buckingham Palace balcony, an honor reserved for active members of the royal family.
Prince Harry returned to London earlier this year, without Meghan, for King Charles’ coronation and to testify in a legal case against Mirror Group Newspapers. He did not meet with his father or brother during these visits, highlighting the continued estrangement between him and the royal family.
As King Charles gears up for his second Trooping the Colour as king, other senior royals such as Prince William, Princess Anne, and Prince Edward will be in attendance. The king is set to bring back the tradition of riding on horseback during the parade, a practice last seen when Queen Elizabeth II did it in 1986.
The royal family’s appearance on the balcony will continue to exclude non-active royals, underscoring the ongoing division within the family. Meanwhile, Prince Harry and Meghan are expected to spend the day in California with their children, Archie and Lilibet.
The evolving narrative of the Sussexes’ relationship with the British royal family remains a topic of public interest and conjecture, as their conspicuous absences from significant royal events continue to be noted. As the Trooping the Colour draws near, keen observers of the royal family will continue to monitor the dynamics within the House of Windsor.
