The royal family drama continues…and for now, the battles are taking place on different continents.
The annual Trooping the Colour event was held on Saturday, June 17th, and notably absent from the festivities were Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle—however, according to palace insiders, their absence was a “relief” to Prince William and Kate Middleton, who had large roles in the event. In fact, it seems Harry and Meghan were not invited to the Trooping the Colour at all.
What Is 'Trooping The Colour'?
Trooping the Colour is a ceremonial event performed annually on the Horse Guards Parade grounds in London by regiments of the Household Division to celebrate the sovereign's birthday (it's also known as the Sovereign's Birthday Parade). It usually coincides with the State Opening of Parliament as well, which is a huge date on the ceremonial calendar.
This year's Trooping the Colour was an especially auspicious occasion, as it was the first under the new King, Charles III. Interestingly, the event did not correspond with his actual birthday—which is November 14th—but instead marked his "official" birthday, chosen mostly due to the better weather available in June versus the winter. The "two birthday" tradition dates back to 1748, when King George II (also born in November) combined the summer military march with his official birthday celebration.
King Charles III was notable as being the first monarch since Queen Elizabeth II in 1986 to take part in the ceremony on horseback—after the mid-80s, Elizabeth switched to riding in a carriage for the parade. The King and the Prince of Wales donned full military uniform for the event, along with Prince Edward and Princess Anne, who also joined on horseback. Practically the entire royal family appeared for the Trooping the Colour, including Princess Kate and her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. However, there were a few glaring absences: Prince Andrew, for understandable reasons, but also Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, along with their young children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Insider Says William And Kate "Relieved" Harry And Meghan Not Invited To Trooping The Colour
It appears that the Sussexes' nonattendance at the festivities was by design—insiders told In Touch that the couple was not invited to the event at all. "Charles [didn't invite] Harry to the Trooping the Colour. It’s a real thorn in the thigh for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. I doubt they would’ve attended anyways, but for Harry it’s the principle," the source shared. Harry not being invited to his own father's parade is a stark contrast to 2022, when the Queen extended an invitation to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for the event, and the couple attended her Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
However, as upset as Harry may be about the slight, his brother Prince William and sister-in-law Kate were reportedly "relieved": "William and Kate are relieved that their archenemies, Harry and Meghan, aren’t attending the Trooping the Colour. Kate can’t stand the sight of Meghan and the feeling is mutual," the source told In Touch prior to the event. They continued, "Kate and Meghan can’t stand each other and there’s no love lost between Harry and William. Their relationship is frosty."
The last time the couples were seen together in public was at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in September of last year, where they noticeably barely interacted.
