The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Anne to visit Scotland for jubilee celebration
The Princess Royal will visit Scotland and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will go to Wales during the extended Bank Holiday Jubilee weekend, Buckingham Palace has announced.
William and Kate are among senior royals who will tour the UK as the nation marks the Queen’s 70-year reign.
The Earl and Countess of Wessex will visit Northern Ireland and Princess Anne will visit Scotland, with all the members of the monarchy attending public Platinum Jubilee events.
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall are likely to be in the capital, attending events over the four-day weekend in June. It is not known which engagements the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will participate in.
Harry and Meghan confirmed on Friday, also 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.
During her Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh made an extensive tour of the country over three months.
Details have been released about some of the arrangements for the Platinum Jubilee, with a gathering of royals on the Buckingham Palace balcony – after the Trooping the Colour ceremony – limited to just working royals. The Duke of York and Harry and Meghan have been omitted from the line-up.
The monarch’s decision to only include royals
carrying out official public duties was taken “after careful consideration”, Buckingham Palace said.
The symbolic move is likely to be interpreted as a snub to the Sussexes, 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 start the four days of festivities, with 18 members of the royal family set to gather on the famous frontage. The Queen is said to be “looking forward” to the weekend of celebrations.
A palace spokesman said: “After careful consideration, the Queen has decided this year’s traditional Trooping the Colour balcony appearance on Thursday June 2 will be limited to Her Majesty and those members of the royal family who are currently undertaking official public duties on behalf of the Queen.”
There will be no ceremonial journey to the service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday June 3, and the 96-year-old monarch, who is facing mobility issues, will use a different entrance rather than scaling the steep steps.
The 18th-Century Gold State Coach will appear on the streets of London for the first time in 20 years when it leads the Jubilee Pageant procession on Sunday June 5.
Archive footage of the Queen on her Coronation Day will be shown on the remodelled windows to evoke the image of the young monarch travelling in the coach.
The Queen is expected to appear on the balcony for Trooping, but decisions on her appearances are not likely to be confirmed until the day.
A palace spokesman said: “The Queen is looking forward to the weekend... but her presence will not be confirmed until much nearer the time or even on the day itself.”