The late Queen made a symbolic Trooping the Colour decision after the Sussexes sensationally quit working royal life – but it didn’t just impact Harry and Meghan

The late Queen held great affection for her grandson Prince Harry, despite his very public criticisms of the royal family. But she did make one major decision that stopped the Sussexes from having a big moment back in the spotlight.

Harry and wife Meghan stepped down as working royals back in January 2020. Prior to that, the couple had made two highly-anticipated appearances at Trooping the Colour; in 2018 shortly after their wedding, and in 2019, following the arrival of the couple’s eldest child Archie.

The event was then scaled down dramatically in 2020 and 2021 due to the Coronavirus pandemic and took place at Windsor Castle without a large gathering of royals.

Queen Elizabeth II was joined by extended members of the royal family for the 2019 balcony appearance (Image:PA)
Trooping the Colour is a major event in the royal family’s calendar and sees the Firm step out in force to celebrate the monarch’s official birthday parade.

In previous years, the Queen had been joined by her wider family with extended members of the royals joining more senior royals for the traditional Red Arrows fly-past.

But that all changed in 2022. The Queen decided to limit the Platinum Jubilee Trooping the Colour balcony appearance to just working members of her family for the first time, with Prince Andrew and Harry and Meghan omitted from the royal line up.

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

The symbolic move was interpreted to be a snub to Harry and Meghan, who had quit the monarchy for a new life in the US and made repeated attacks on the royal family, and to Andrew, who was cast out of the institution over his civil sexual assault case.

The Queen limited the 2022 balcony appearance to working royals (Image:Getty Images)
Joining the Queen on the balcony for Trooping was the then-Prince Charles and Camilla, William and Kate, Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex, Princess Anne, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent, Princess Alexandra, and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

The monarch made an exception for Anne’s husband Sir Tim, who is not a working royal, her two youngest grandchildren Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn, and her great-grandchildren George, Charlotte and Louis.

While Harry and Meghan were in attendance at the 2022 event – which coincided with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations – they kept a very low profile. They watched the parade from a window and were also not part of the carriage procession.

Following on from the precedent set by his late mother, King Charles also kept the balcony appearance at the 2023 Trooping to limited numbers.

He was joined by his wife Queen Camilla, the Wales family, Princess Anne, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, while the Duke of Kent and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester stood off to the side – making one of the smallest groupings in recent royal history.

King Charles also limited the 2023 Trooping the Colour balcony appearance
Harry and Meghan were not invited to attend the Trooping celebrations and the same can be said of this year’s event. Sources have confirmed the Sussexes did not receive an invitation to attend and will therefore remain at home in California.
Prince Harry most recently returned to his home country in May to celebrate 10 years of the Invictus Games. However, he did not reunite with any members of his family, including his father who was said to have a “full” schedule. The pair did see each other in February when Harry flew from California to London to see the King, 75, following news of the monarch’s cancer diagnosis. They had a very brief private meeting at Clarence House which lasted around 45 minutes.