The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge celebrated the queen’s 70 years on the throne Meghan Markle and Prince Harry didn’t interact with Prince William and Kate Middleton during their brief time together across the pond. And there’s a reason.
“It was meant to be all about the queen, and it didn’t give people the chance to speculate about their relationship,” a royal insider told People magazine in this week’s issue.The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made their first family trip to the U.K.
since they stepped back as senior members of the British royal family and moved to the U.S. in 2020. The couple returned for Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee, which marked her 70 years on the throne.
Last Friday, the royals attended a service of thanksgiving to honor the reigning monarch, 96, at St. Paul’s Cathedral. Harry, 37, and Markle, 40, arrived ahead of William, 39, and Middleton, 40. It was the first time they appeared together in public in more than two years.
Royal watchers noted that as William and Middleton made their way to their seats in the front row, there was no eye contact between the couples. Even Prince Charles was seen looking away as he passed by the row where Harry and Markle were seated. The couples were also seated separately from each other.
While many members of the royal family headed to the reception at The Guildhall after the service, Markle and Harry didn’t attend the lunch. On Saturday, they also skipped the star-studded “Platinum Party At the Palace” and chose to quietly celebrate their daughter Lilibet’s first birthday at Frogmore Cottage instead.
Not long after, Harry and Markle, along with their two children, headed promptly back to their home in California.On June 2, the pair viewed the Trooping the Color from the Major General’s Office. Since they are no longer senior working royals, they were not invited to appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with William and Middleton. They also didn’t take part in a carriage procession.