This year’s Trooping the Colour will take place without Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The British Royal Family holds the prestigious event annually to celebrate the monarch’s birthday. For the second time in a row, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex didn’t get an invitation. It has been four years since Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior members of the Royal Family, and their relationship with the palace isn’t improving.
Per People, King Charles and the rest of the senior royal family members didn’t invite the Sussexes to the June 15 event. It is reminiscent of last year’s ceremony, where Harry and Meghan were also no-shows. Their absence at last year’s event spoke volumes, given it was King Charles’ inaugural Trooping the Colour ceremony. The last time the exiled couple attended the royal pomp was in 2022, during the reign of the late Queen Elizabeth II. However, they didn’t join the rest of the Royal Family on the Buckingham Palace balcony. Instead, they watched all the festivities from a room above the Horse Guards Parade along with other non-working royals.
The lovebirds, who relocated to the United States and live in Montecito, California, have only officially attended two Trooping the Colour ceremonies. Both times have held sentimental meanings for the Sussexes. In 2018, the event happened just a month after their royal wedding, while 2019’s ceremony occurred just weeks after the birth of their son, Prince Archie.
King Charles Avoided ‘Emotionally Upsetting’ Reunion With Prince Harry
Harry and his wife’s exclusion from Trooping the Colour comes after a failed reunion with his father. Last month, the duke made a surprise visit to the UK to celebrate the Invictus Games’ 10th anniversary. Unfortunately, an expected reconciliation didn’t take place due to the King’s busy schedule, according to a rep for the Sussexes. However, one royal expert claimed King Charles only used his schedule as an excuse.
Royal commentator Michael Coel alleged that King Charles’ refusal to see his son came from a practical place. Coel explained that the monarch didn’t want to be more triggered given his current battle with cancer. “[The king] didn’t want to be bothered with this because it is emotionally upsetting,” he remarked.
