Trooping the Colour is the first event to kick off the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, which will see working royal family members congregate on the Buckingham Palace balcony for a traditional flypast.
“After careful consideration, the Queen has decided this year’s traditional trooping the color balcony appearance on Thursday 2 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 source from the Palace confirmed.
This includes Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles and Camilla, William and Kate, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, and Countess of Wessex. Princess Anne and her husband, Sir Tim Laurence, and the Queen’s cousins, the Dukes and Duchesses of Kent and Gloucester, were also in attendance.
However, while not on the balcony, the Duchess of Sussex was pictured with Savannah Phillips and Mia Tindall during the festivities.
Harry and Meghan were noticeably absent from the balcony given their decision to step back as senior royals.
Despite this, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are attending the jubilee, bringing their son, Archie, and daughter, Lilibet, home to the UK for the first time as a family.
“Prince Harry and Meghan are excited and honored to attend the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations this June with their children,” a spokesperson said on behalf of the couple.
They will be invited to other jubilee events, such as a service at St Paul’s Cathedral, and may even be invited to a second balcony appearance if it occurs as intended after the Jubilee Pageant on June 5th. Fellow non-working royal, Prince Andrew, will also be able to take part in these events.
Although their appearance is yet to be confirmed, the Jubilee Pageant will be a sight itself, with many exciting moving parts confirmed for the parade through London’s streets.
Ed Sheeran will sing the national anthem, puppet corgis will appear, and a giant 3D wire bust of the will all appear in celebration of the Queen’s 70th year on the throne.
It has also been confirmed that the Gold State Coach will appear for the first time in London in 20 years.
The coach is the third oldest surviving coach in the UK, made of giltwood, and weighing four tonnes. While the Queen will not be riding in it, the remodeled windows will show archived footage of the Queen as a young woman, recorded on her Coronation Day.