Prince Harry and Prince Andrew will not appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony as part of the opening celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee next month, June 2022.
According to Buckingham Palace, the Monarch will only be joined on June 2, 2022, by “members of the Royal Family who are currently undertaking official public duties”. Despite not appearing on the balcony, Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, will travel to the UK for the Jubilee. The Palace also added that the Queen, 96, plans to attend some of the Jubilee events.
But her attendance won’t be confirmed until the time gets closer, or even on the day, due to mobility problems. A Spokesperson for the Duke and the Duchess of Sussex disclosed that they will be coming to the UK for the Jubilee with their two children, Archie and Lilibet. The couple is said to be “excited and honoured to attend the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations this June”.
Reason Behind the Queen’s Directive
There was speculation about who would take part in the iconic royal balcony scene, watching a fly-past and waving to the crowds at Trooping the Colour, from the start of the Platinum Jubilee weekend, which marked the Queen’s 70-year reign. However, Buckingham Palace disclosed that the Queen has decided that appearances on the balcony will be limited to “working royals”, who carry out official royal duties, and their children, which rules out Prince Andrew, Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan.
Prince Andrew stepped down from royal duties in the wake of the now-settled civil sex assault case which was brought against him in the United States. Again, the decision of the Queen reflected the principle that there will not be a “half-in, half-out” royals, which will change the line-up for such balcony appearances for the Royal Family.
Who Will be at the Balcony?
On the balcony on June 2, 2022, along with the Queen, will be the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children.
The group will also include the Earl and Countess of Wessex and their children, along with Anne, Princess Royal and her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence, as well as the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra.
While Prince Harry and Prince Andrew, and his daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, will not be part of the balcony scene, they could attend other Jubilee events, such as the Jubilee Lunch or the thanksgiving service. The Queen, who is currently battling with mobility, pulled out of a number of recent events, which has sprouted questions about how much she will be able to participate in considering her Platinum Jubilee celebrations. The latest update leaves the question open, with the Queen planning to take part in some of the events, but with nothing being confirmed until much closer to the time.
This includes the National Service of Thanksgiving at St. Paul’s Cathedral, and if the Queen attends, she will not take part in a ceremonial procession to get there. Along with viewing Trooping the Colour, the Queen has also planned to attend the Epsom Derby, expected to take place on June 4, 2022, during the long Jubilee bank holiday weekend from June 2 to June 5, 2022.
The Platinum Jubilee Pageant will see the re-appearance of the Gold State Coach, long missing from the streets of London for more than 20 years.
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