Controversy and Omission: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Left Off Guest List for King Charles’ First Trooping the Colour Celebration
Trooping the Colour, astonishingly, falls on the upcoming Saturday, marking King Charles’ inaugural celebration as monarch. This annual extravaganza serves as the public commemoration of the monarch’s birthday, traditionally held in June despite Charles’ actual birthdate residing in November. (Oddly enough, the late Majesty’s genuine birthday fell in April, but June was chosen due to the city’s usually pleasant climate during that month, despite the ongoing heatwave at present.)
The Mirror’s recent report discloses a startling revelation: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been conspicuously excluded from the coveted guest list. Considering Harry’s recent transatlantic journey for his legal battle against Mirror Group Newspapers, attending the event seems highly unlikely. Buckingham Palace remains tight-lipped regarding the alleged invitation or its absence for Harry and Meghan.
It was during the previous Trooping the Colour, held amidst the Platinum Jubilee festivities in honor of the late Queen last June, that Harry and Meghan were last seen. However, The Mirror suggests that their participation in this year’s event may have been jeopardized due to the strain caused by Harry’s upcoming memoir and the couple’s Netflix documentary, both of which have reportedly strained their relationship with the royal family.
Richard Eden of The Daily Mail shares an intriguing tidbit about a possible snub, stating, “I hear that Prince Harry and Meghan have not, however, been invited to the King’s Birthday Parade next weekend.” An unnamed source conveyed to the outlet that the Sussexes’ exclusion from the event serves as “a reflection on the state of relations.” Nevertheless, Harry and Meghan did receive an invitation to the King’s Coronation last month, with Harry attending solo while Meghan remained in California, tending to their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Interestingly, Archie’s fourth birthday coincided with the Coronation on May 6.
In preparation for the upcoming festivities, Prince William recently conducted the Colonel’s Review of the troops. Over 1,400 soldiers from the Household Division and The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery partook in the review. As temperatures soared to a scorching 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) in London, three guards collapsed due to the sweltering heat, underscoring the challenging conditions faced by the participants.
