The Queen's Platinum Jubilee was the first time Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had been back over to the UK since the Duke of Edinburgh's death last year. The couple sparked a row in 2020 when they decided to step away from royal life and move to North America.
During the four-day Bank Holiday weekend, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex took part in the activities organised to help mark the special occasion. However, the sense of a rift between them and their relatives still seemed apparent as they were not invited out onto the Buckingham Palace balcony and were also kept several seats away from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in St Paul's Cathedral during a thanksgiving service.
One event they did attend was a birthday party for their daughter Lilibet, who turned one on June 4. It was during the weekend that the Queen met her great-grandchild for the first time.
Two people who did not attend a party held especially for Lilibet during the weekend to celebrate her birthday were Prince William and Kate Middleton, fuelling speculation that the couple had snubbed the Sussexes. However, a royal source has suggested it was not as underhanded as it might seem.
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, the source claimed it was merely a matter of bad timing as the Cambridges were already attending another event elsewhere. On the day of Lilibet's party, William and Kate went to Cardiff with their three children - George, Charlotte and Louis - as part of the Jubilee celebrations.
A source said: "It's simply a coincidence they fell on the same day. There was no intended slight."
Despite not attending Lilibet's party, the Cambridges were among the royals who wished their young relative a happy birthday. The couple tweeted on June 4: "Wishing a very happy birthday to Lilibet, turning one today!"
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