Harry and Meghan aren’t invited to appear on Buckingham Palace balcony during queen’s Jubilee

Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan Markle, and Prince Harry Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will officially return to the U.K. to attend Queen Elizabeth’s Jubilee, but they won’t be joining her on the Buckingham Palace balcony.

Buckingham Palace said Friday the queen has decided that when she and other members of the royal family make an appearance on the palace balcony during the celebration of her 70th year on the throne, only those “who are currently undertaking official public duties” on her behalf will join her.

That means Harry and Meghan, who stepped back as working members of the royal family in 2020 and moved to the United States, aren’t invited, nor is Prince Andrew, who stepped back from public duties over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein and has been accused of sexual assault.

Harry and Meghan recently visited the queen in the U.K., their first time doing so together they dramatically stepped back from the royal family and leveled bombshell allegations against the palace in an interview with Oprah Winfrey. The visit was widely seen as an “olive branch.”

Harry later told the Today show he was “making sure that she’s protected.” But he has said he doesn’t feel safe bringing his kids to the U.K. due to his current security arrangements, and he previously told Today he wasn’t sure if the family would attend the Jubilee celebrations for that reason.

A spokesperson for Harry and Meghan, though, told CNN on Friday they’re “excited and honoured to attend” with their children.

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