Queen trims balcony line-up

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their children are to attend the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations but have been omitted from the Trooping the Colour balcony appearance by the Queen.

Harry and Meghan confirmed yesterday, on their son Archie’s third birthday, that they were “excited and honoured” to attend the commemorations for the monarch’s milestone in June with their eldest child and his sister Lilibet.

But the Queen has limited the Trooping the Colour balcony appearance to working members of her family, with the Duke of York and Harry and Meghan missing out.

It is not known which elements of the four-day jubilee weekend Harry and Meghan could make an appearance at.

It will be the first time Harry and Meghan have brought their family to the UK since leaving for the US.

Lili’s first birthday falls during the jubilee weekend on June 4 and she is yet to meet the Queen, the Prince of Wales and other members of the family.

The monarch’s decision to only include royals carrying out official public duties was taken “after careful consideration”, Buckingham Palace said.

The symbolic move by the Queen has been interpreted as a snub to Harry and Meghan, who quit the monarchy for a new life in the US two years ago, and to Andrew, who was cast out of the institution over his civil sexual assault case.

On June 2, Trooping the Colour, the sovereign’s official birthday parade, will kickstart the four days of jubilee festivities, with 18 members of the royal family due to gather on the famous frontage, with the Queen “looking forward” to the weekend of celebrations.

It will be the first time in three years that the Windsors have appeared on the balcony.

TROOPING THE COLOUR: The royals last appeared together on the balcony in 2019, before the pandemic.