Why Didn't Harry and Meghan Attend Trooping the Colour 2023?
Why Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Didn't Attend This Year's Trooping the Colour
King Charles III's first Trooping the Colour took place on 17 June and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were not in attendance. According to People, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were not invited to the annual military parade, which is a public celebration of the British monarch's birthday. Reps for Buckingham Palace and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not immediately respond to POPSUGAR's request for comment.
While Charles has always attended the parade with his family, this year marked the first time it'll take place during his reign. For the past 70 years, Trooping the Colour was known as the Queen's Birthday Parade because Queen Elizabeth II was on the throne. Participants typically include 1,400 officers, 200 horses, and 400 musicians, and there are two rehearsals in the run-up to the big day. The route runs from Buckingham Palace along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade and then back down The Mall to the palace.
The last time Harry and Markle attended Trooping the Colour was in 2019, just a month after the couple welcomed their son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor. The event also doubled as Markle's first public appearance since giving birth. They were joined by Harry's late grandmother, as well as the rest of the royal family, including Prince William, Kate Middleton, and Queen Camilla.
