Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have missed a Jubilee event to avoid “hobnobbing with the family”, it has been reported.
The Daily Mirror report that the Sussexes arrived together in the UK for the first time in more than two years to attend the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
They are said to be aiming to keep a low profile so as not to take attention away from the monarch.
But plenty of eyes were on them for first their attendance at Trooping the Colour on Thursday and then the thanksgiving service at St Paul’s Cathedral.
Their outspoken criticism of the royals has worsened their rift with other members of Harry’s family and it appeared after the thanksgiving service they had no intention of sticking around to see William and Kate and went quickly back to Windsor.
A royal aide said that while they were happy to see Prince Charles they had no desire to meet the Cambridges at a Jubilee reception afterwards.
“Harry and Meghan were happy to swing by Clarence House to see Charles on the way to St Paul’s. But afterwards they were less keen to spend time hobnobbing with the family at the reception where they would rub shoulders with William and Kate,” they told The Sun.
The Sussexes had relegated seats in the church which reflected their change in status.
Far across the aisle from the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Harry and Meghan sat in the second row, behind the Wessex family and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
Working royals filled the front-row chairs, meaning there was no place there for Harry and Meghan in the prime positions.
They no longer use their HRH styles and the event was their first public appearance alongside the Windsors since they stepped down as senior royals two years ago amid the Megxit storm.
They did however make a solo procession, holding each other’s hand, down the nave of St Paul’s Cathedral, after the rest of the mass of more than 40 royals and before future king Charles and the Cambridges.
They were personally escorted by Lieutenant Colonel Sir Alexander Matheson of Matheson, the Queen’s Senior Gentleman Usher.
With little happening at grand choreographed royal occasions by chance, it appeared to be a recognition of Harry’s place as sixth in line and a former spare to the heir and of the way things used to be.
Meghan, in an elegant Dior trench coat and matching hat, smiled as she walked through the church, while Harry bit his lip at times, while also nodding greetings to members of the congregation.
There was no obvious interaction shown on the television camera between Harry and William, or between Meghan and Kate.
Just over a year ago, Harry and Meghan accused an unnamed member of the royal family, not the Queen or the Duke of Edinburgh, of racism and painted the monarchy as an uncaring institution in a controversial Oprah interview.
Kate was publicly singled out by Meghan for allegedly making her cry in the run-up to her wedding.
Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall meanwhile greeted William and Kate by blowing them a kiss as they met at the West Entrance.
Former BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt reflected: “For the briefest of moments, Harry and Meghan were back being active Windsors.
“The institution didn’t crumble. The royals need them, but are unlikely to acknowledge what they’ve lost given the hurt felt by all sides.”
There was a throwback to the Harry royal fans know and love.
The Duke jokingly pulled an open mouthed face at other members of his family across the aisle, most likely his cousin Zara Tindall and her husband, former rugby player Mike.
He was also seen laughing as he sat next to Princess Eugenie’s husband Jack Brooksbank, who appeared red in the face as he chuckled.
In 2012 for the Diamond Jubilee, Harry had taken pride of place in the front row for service in St Paul’s marking his grandmother 60th year on the throne.
Much has changed since then, with Harry wedding American actress Meghan in a glittering royal wedding in 2018, followed by their troubled departure in 2020.
The mass gathering of nearly 50 royals including Harry and Meghan was invited to a special celebratory reception at the Guildhall afterwards.
But the Sussexes, who were thought to have returned to their Frogmore Cottage base, chose not to attend, as did the Princess Royal, who carried on with her royal duties, feeding penguins on a visit to Edinburgh Zoo.
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