Trooping the Colour Continues Without Harry and Meghan
The absence of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from Trooping the Colour is more than just a box left unchecked on the guest list. Since 2019, the couple has been sidelined from this national spectacle, marking a big shift not just for them but for the entire image the Royal Family wants to project.
The last time the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stood on the Buckingham Palace balcony was right after baby Archie was born. That snapshot in 2019 now feels like a relic of different times. In 2022, as parades and festivities returned after two years of pandemic cancellations, Harry and Meghan were nowhere to be seen, despite making headlines by attending the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee festivities. The message was clear, and it came from the top: this event is now reserved for senior working royals, and those outside the core circle remain on the sidelines.
Harry has addressed the snub directly. In a frank 2023 TV appearance, he explained he hadn’t received an invitation to Trooping the Colour for the first time in his life. For someone who grew up with the ceremony as an annual family staple, the change stings—and it's no accident. Officials tried to keep the family publicly united after Harry and Meghan stepped back in 2020, but the shift since then is unmistakable. Royal commentator Richard Eden put it bluntly: the move to distance Harry and Meghan from high-profile ceremonies is now deliberate, part of a conscious effort to draw a line between senior royals on duty and those on a different path.
This year’s Trooping the Colour, taking place in just hours, is expected to cement that divide even further. The Royal Family is planning a show of unity, and the absence of two very familiar faces only makes that clearer. With Catherine, Princess of Wales, and the young Cambridge children commanding the spotlight, it’s obvious who the family wants up front and center. The public will see the enduring traditions: soldiers and horses on parade, the iconic RAF flypast, a flurry of red and gold uniforms, and poised waves from the Royal Family’s balcony. But behind that pomp is a subtle drama about loyalty, family, and the line between insiders and outsiders.
The Royals, the Public, and a New Phase
There’s no pretending Harry and Meghan’s absence is just a logistical decision. When senior aides first guided the royal exit talks, there was lots of talk about “keeping the door open” and “showing support”—especially for the Queen’s sake. But as months turned to years, the tone changed. The family’s decision-makers seem to believe drawing this distinction is better for stability—and maybe for public opinion too.
What does all of this mean for the monarchy’s image? Trooping the Colour isn’t just tradition for tradition’s sake. It’s a vivid, televised message that things are stable at the top. As the cameras pan over the balcony this year, expect to see no cracks in the official front. Catherine’s presence—despite her recent health challenges—underscores the family’s determination to present a steady, relatable next generation. Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis are growing into their public roles, becoming fixtures in these grand family moments.
For Harry and Meghan, the message remains: the Royal Family has moved on. Their absence isn’t an accident or an oversight—it’s part of a bigger pattern that shows who is, and who isn’t, part of the family’s present and future story. With every parade and every omission, that message gets a little louder.
