Why King Charles III Will Never Invite Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to Trooping the Colour

According to royal historian Gareth Russell, it is unlikely that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will attend this year's Trooping the Colour. Russell believes that while it is not meant as an insult to the couple, it is a significant journey from California for just one event. Additionally, he thinks that the Sussexes were not expected to receive an invitation to this particular event.

Russell pointed out that Harry, 38, and Meghan, 41, are no longer considered working royals and therefore do not face the same obligations to attend traditional events. However, the expectations for their attendance at King Charles III's coronation would be different.

Russell suggested that both parties are not eager to reignite the discussion, alluding to the previous speculation about whether the Archewell cofounders would visit the U.K. for Charles' coronation. However, Harry attended the May celebration solo.

The upcoming annual birthday parade for Charles, which will be held on Saturday, June 17, marks the first of his reign, even though his actual birthday falls in November. This event has been a part of Charles' life since childhood, where he first commemorated his grandfather King George VI and later his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away in September 2022 at the age of 96. While the coronation was a much grander event and held significant importance for the royal family, its absence shouldn't necessarily imply any opinion regarding Harry and Meghan's invitation to Trooping the Colour, according to Russell.

After announcing their decision to step back from their senior royal duties in January 2020, the couple relocated to the United States where they are raising their two children, Archie and Lilibet. In February 2021, Buckingham Palace confirmed that Harry and Meghan would not be returning to their working roles. Despite their departure from royal duties, the couple has made a few trips overseas. In April 2021, Harry traveled alone for Prince Philip's funeral and his father's coronation. However, Meghan accompanied him to Elizabeth's funeral in the fall of 2021, as they were already in the UK for another obligation when the news of the Queen's passing broke.

Members of the royal family gathered on the balcony at Buckingham Palace for the Trooping the Colour ceremony on June 9, 2018 in London, England. Among those present were Prince Andrew, Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan Markle, Prince Charles, Prince Harry, Catherine Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William, Princess Charlotte, and Prince George. The event was a celebration of the Queen's official birthday and featured a military parade and flyover. Shutterstock.

During his recent visit to London to testify against Mirror Group Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail, for illegally obtaining information on him, the Spare author clarified that he did not have any one-on-one time with his family members, including Charles or Prince William. Despite attending Charles' coronation a few weeks prior, Harry's visits to London have been brief, leaving the judge puzzled. The media company has denied all accusations.

According to Russell, Harry's visit to the U.K. is driven by his desire to speak up about an important issue rather than to visit the palace or spend time with his family. He suggested that the brief duration of Harry's recent visits could suggest a lack of enthusiasm on both sides for reconnecting. Russell even joked that Harry had left for the coronation before the tiara dust had settled.

With reporting by Christina Garibaldi