Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are visiting the U.K. with their children for the first time since stepping back from their senior royal duties in March 2020 and welcoming their daughter, Lilibet Diana, in June 2021.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made the trip with three-year-old Archie and one-year-old Lilibet in order to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee, which marks her 70th year on the throne. The other goal was to introduce the Queen to her great-granddaughter for the first time.
However, if spectators expected to see a lot of Meghan and Harry during the four-day-long festivities, they were likely disappointed. The pair were only briefly spotted behind the scenes at the Trooping the Colour on June 2, as well as attending the National Service of Thanksgiving.
According to People, the royal brothers had not “crossed paths” publically during the first few days of the Platinum Jubilee, and it appears that trend has continued through the final day.
On June 4, which happened to be Lilibet Diana’s first birthday, Prince William and Kate Middleton traveled to Wales with eight-year-old Prince George and seven-year-old Princess Charlotte. “It’s simply a coincidence they fell on the same day,” a source told E! News. “There was no intended slight.” The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge wished their niece a happy birthday on social media.
Though the Cambridge family returned to London for the evening’s Platinum Party concert at Buckingham Palace, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex reportedly skipped the event in favor of celebrating their daughter’s birthday.
This brings us to the final event of the Platinum Jubilee. According to People, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry did not attend the pageant parade on June 5, though the event did feature a surprise attendee. Queen Elizabeth pulled out of many of the weekend’s festivities after experiencing “discomfort” at the Trooping the Colour, but decided to make an appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony for the national anthem, “God Save the Queen.”
