TROOPING THE COLOUR The Duchess of Sussex shines while the young royals steal the show.

The Duchess of Sussex takes her place—but George steals the show

It may have been the Queen’s celebration but all eyes were on the former Meghan Markle as she made her Buckingham Palace balcony debut at the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony in London on June 9. The beaming newlywed joined husband Prince Harry and the rest of the royal family to watch the parade through Buckingham Palace Square as part of the Queen’s 92nd birthday celebrations.

Wearing a custom off-the-shoulder Carolina Herrera dress—deemed “inappropriate” by detractors—and a Philip Treacy hat, Meghan, 36, chatted with her sister-in-law Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, and stepmother-in-law, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. According to UK newspaper The Sun’s lip reader, Harry, 33, asked Meghan, if she was “OK” as they stepped onto

the balcony, to which she replied that she was “nervous.” He was also said to have prompted her to curtsy for the Queen.

Stealing focus from the newest royal was her nephew and niece. Balcony veterans Prince George, who turns 5 in July, and Princess Charlotte, 3—7-week-old Prince Louis was not seen—smiled and waved at well-wishers. “They look very cute and [were] having a really good time,” childrenswear designer Amaia Arrieta, who dressed George, told WHO.

The following day the young pair were again in good form when they attended a Gloucestershire polo match with the Duchess of Cambridge to cheer on their dad. While their mother looked on, Charlotte did rolly-pollies down the hill and George occupied himself with a multi-coloured slinky and a toy pistol. At one point, Charlotte climbed into her mother’s lap while Kate rubbed George’s back and chatted with friends, clearly enjoying quality time with her eldest children. It’s “simple family moments like playing outside together,” the 36-yearold has said she cherishes.