While we’re excited to see the pomp and pageantry at this year’s Trooping the Colour, we’ve got to admit, it won’t be the same without Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
In case you missed it, People confirmed that the Sussexes did not receive invitations to King Charles’s birthday parade, which will take place on June 15. Sadly, they were also not invited to last year’s Trooping the Colour, which marked the Sovereign’s first annual celebration—but according to royal historian Gareth Russell, there’s a valid reason.
While speaking with Us Weekly in 2023, Russell explained that Harry and Markle are no longer required to attend these events because they have stepped down as working members of the royal family in 2020. He said, “I don’t think they need to be invited. Not as a kind of insult to them, but you know, it’s a long trip to make from California for the sake of Trooping the Colour…I think this is one of the events where the Sussexes were never going to be invited.”
The royal couple have only participated in Trooping the Colour together in 2018, which was one month after they tied the knot, and in 2019, which was just a few weeks after they welcomed Prince Archie. In 2022, they also made an appearance for Queen Elizabeth’s final Trooping the Colour, but they kept a low profile and did not join the royal family on the balcony for the official flypast.
For this year’s festivities, King Charles, Queen Camilla and Prince William are all confirmed to attend. (In fact, His Majesty plans to break royal tradition by inspecting the soldiers from a carriage, rather than from horseback.) It has also been confirmed that Kate Middleton will participate in this year’s parade, although she had to skip the Trooping the Colour rehearsal amid her cancer recovery. (Instead, Lieutenant General James Bucknall took her place as Inspecting Officer.)
Here’s hoping the Sussexes will reunite with the royal family at future events.
Stay up-to-date on every breaking royal family story by subscribing here.
