Prince Harry could be a notable absentee from an important event for his father, King Charles III.
The new monarch of the United Kingdom is preparing for his first Trooping the Colour celebrations as sovereign on June 17.
Article summary
Will Prince Harry attend Trooping the Colour?
Reports from London indicate that Harry has not received an invitation to the annual event, which commemorates the King’s official birthday with military displays and an aerial parade over Buckingham Palace.
This perceived snub is regarded as an indication of strained relations within the royal family following recent events involving Harry and his wife, Meghan.
According to Richard Eden of the Daily Mail, it will be the first time in Harry’s life that he will not be welcome at the monarch’s official birthday celebrations.
The last time Harry and Meghan attended Trooping the Colour was in 2019 when they were still active members of the royal family.
In subsequent years, the event either faced cancellations or was scaled back due to the COVID pandemic. In 2022, as non-working royals, they were prohibited from observing the Royal Air Force flyover from the palace balcony, a privilege that Harry had enjoyed in previous years.
The strained relations within the royal family can be attributed to various factors
These include Harry’s memoir, the release of his Netflix show, and the accusations he has made against the royal family, the monarchy, and the British press in multiple lawsuits.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams believes that deep rifts within the royal family, coupled with the international prominence of the Sussexes due to their numerous projects and legal battles, have further alienated them from the rest of the family.
Fitzwilliams suggests that the exclusion from Trooping the Colour may foreshadow future developments.
The most recent public appearance of Prince Harry in Britain at a royal family event was at his father’s coronation, which he attended as a non-working royal.
Although Harry attended the ceremony alone, Buckingham Palace had previously announced that Meghan had chosen to remain in California with their children.
Despite expressing his desire for future reconciliation with his family, Fitzwilliams highlights potential obstacles that may hinder such efforts.
Ongoing trials and the potential for further unfavourable revelations about family members, along with future interviews, documentaries, and books, could continue to strain the relationship.
Consequently, it appears unlikely that Harry and Meghan will be present at significant royal events in the coming years unless a reconciliation takes place.
As the date of Trooping the Colour approaches, Prince Harry’s absence from the celebrations is sure to fuel further speculation about the state of his relationship with the royal family.
