Are The Queen And Prince Charles Ready To Welcome Meghan And Harry To Jubilee Celebrations?
The countdown is on for the Platinum Jubilee, which will celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's 70th anniversary of taking the throne. The four-day event is set to take place in June and will include a special Thanksgiving service, a pageant, a live concert, and more (per People).
While the royal family is expected to be in attendance, it's still unclear whether Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will make the trip across the pond for the festivities. The couple was noticeably absent at Prince Philip's memorial service but tried to make up for it with a secret visit with the queen — as well as Prince Charles — on their way to the Invictus Games. Although the meeting with Queen Elizabeth was apparently "incredibly warm and good-natured," (per the Mirror), the time spent with Charles and his wife, Camila, was short and strained (via the Daily Mail).
Still, sources have said that Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth are reportedly hoping to move on from the drama. "This has been a deeply troubling time for the royal family and the queen would dearly love to put the recent bitterness behind her," a source told the Daily Mail. The source went on to say that the queen would reportedly "love to see Harry on the Buckingham Palace balcony during the Platinum Jubilee events," but several "reassurances on all sides" would need to take place first.
Though the desire to include Meghan and Harry is allegedly there, many are still wondering whether the Sussexes will attend the Platinum Jubilee when the time comes.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles are hoping Prince Harry attends the Platinum Jubilee
Although there is still tension between Prince Harry and his family, sources told the Daily Mail that Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles are "keen" to welcome him and Meghan Markle to "family events" at the upcoming Platinum Jubilee. In fact, Buckingham Palace has reportedly promised the couple armed security during the event to alleviate their safety concerns.
While Harry and Meghan would be permitted to attend certain events — which includes standing on the balcony at Buckingham Palace with the rest of the royal family — they could not participate in the "working elements of the Jubilee" as they stepped down from their official duties in 2020. Although Charles would apparently like his youngest son to attend the event, there are reportedly concerns over what will happen if Harry and Meghan do show up.
"Charles wants the Platinum Jubilee to focus only on the Queen," a source told The Sun. "Many are disappointed that Andrew overshadowed Prince Philip's thanksgiving service and don't want the Meghan and Harry circus to hijack the Jubilee. This is the Queen's show and should be about her and her 70 years of service rather than Meghan's fashion, the kids and Harry." Prince Charles is reportedly concerned that if the pair were to attend, it would "become the Harry and Meghan show," which is something he allegedly wants to avoid.
Hopefully, the royal family can come together to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's special milestone while making sure the spotlight is solely on her.