This year, Buckingham Palace is doing something extra special for Queen Elizabeth‘s 70th year on the throne. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be present to celebrate with their children, Archie and Lilibet.
The Queen Prepares for Historic Celebration and Meeting the Granddaughter Who Is Named After Her for the First Time
“Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are excited and honored to attend The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations this June with their children,” a spokesperson for the couple told NBC News.
That being said, the family of four will not be joining the queen on the balcony at Buckingham Palace during the Trooping of the Colour, an annual event where the royal family typically appears together.
“After careful consideration, the queen has decided that this year’s traditional Trooping the Colour balcony appearance on Thursday 2nd of June will be limited to Her Majesty and those members of the Royal Family who are currently undertaking official public duties on behalf of the Queen,” a Buckingham Palace spokesman informed the outlet.
The celebrations will begin on June 2 and will take place throughout the weekend, commemorating Queen Elizabeth’s 70 years on the throne.
The news comes after Harry revealed earlier this year how he “does not feel safe” in the UK. A legal proceeding will determine whether the loss of his taxpayer-funded police protection will be reinstated
The preliminary hearing was not attended by the Duke of Sussex, but instead by his attorney, Shaheed Fatima, who voiced the Prince’s safety concerns for himself and his family. The public-funded police protection was taken away following his and Meghan Markle‘s decision to step back from royal life in January 2020.
Since making the decision to step away from royal life, the couple relocated to California and have been paying for private security out of pocket since their royal protection was withdrawn. In addition to taking away their UK public protection, they were also told they could not pay for themselves should they return.
What does that mean? Should the Duke and Duchess of Sussex return to the UK with son Archie Harrison, 2, and daughter Lilibet Diana, 8 months, they will not be entitled to state-funded protection and the deep level of security intelligence it entails.
“This claim is about the fact that the claimant does not feel safe when he is in the UK given the security arrangements that were applied to him in June 2021 and will continue to be applied to him if he decides to come back,” Fatima told the Royal Courts of Justice, People reports.
“And, of course, it should go without saying that he wants to come back: to see family and friends and to continue to support the charities that are so close to his heart,” the lawyer also stated. “Most of all, this is, and always will be, his home.”