Earlier this month, it was confirmed, via The Guardian among many other outlets, that certain royals would not be accompanying the queen on the balcony at Buckingham Palace during her birthday celebrations. The annual event, known as Trooping the Colour, is especially important this year considering it’s also the 70th anniversary of Her Majesty’s reign. Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and Prince Andrew are no longer working royals, so it’s understandable they weren’t invited onto the balcony. However, the Sussexes will be present at the event regardless.
Per People, not only will they be in attendance, but Meghan and Harry will get to watch the Horse Guards Parade from the Major General’s Office, which offers a keen birds-eye view of the event. Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie will join them, alongside several other royal grandchildren. The couple’s spokesperson confirmed they were looking forward to being there, and to getting a prime spot to watch the action unfold.
Meghan and Harry defected from the royal family in 2020, so they can’t join the queen on the balcony. They attended the event in 2018 and 2019, but this is their first family trip to the UK since relocating to California. According to The Sun, the Sussexes’ biographer and friend, Omid Scobie, claimed in a piece for Yahoo! News that they never intended to be on the balcony in the first place, believing it wouldn’t be appropriate.
