Prince Harry says it was ‘great to see’ the Queen after secret visit
He and Meghan Markle have been invited to appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, according to reports.
Prince Harry has said it was ‘great’ to see his grandmother the Queen again after a secret meeting with her and his wife Meghan last week.
Olive branches seem to have been extended on both sides, with reports that the couple have been invited to appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
It comes after Harry and Meghan paid a visit to the Queen and Prince Charles while on their way to the Netherlands for the launch of the Invictus Games.
Last week was the first time the couple had been seen together publicly on this side of the Atlantic for two years.
Prince Harry said the Queen gave him messages for British Invictus Games athletes when he met with her on Thursday.
Asked in an interview during the BBC’s coverage of the games, he said: ‘She had plenty of messages for Team UK which I’ve already passed on to most of them so it was great to see her. I’m sure she’d love to be here if she could.’
Now, the Telegraph reports that he and Meghan have both been invited to join the rest of the Royal Family for the traditional balcony appearance to watch an RAF flypast, which will take place on June 2.
The invitation also includes family events such as a service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral during the Jubilee, which will celebrate 70 years on the throne for Queen Elizabeth II.
But as the couple stepped back as senior working royals they will not have a formal role in the celebrations, the paper said.
The couple, who quit their duties as senior royals in 2020, have not had an easy relationship with the remaining family in the years since.
They have spent most of their time in California, where they relocated, and in March last year they gave an interview to Oprah Winfrey criticising palace life.
The Queen herself, who will turn 96 on Thursday, is thought to be unlikely to make extensive public appearances during the Jubilee, as she is increasingly frail.
She has missed events such as yesterday’s traditional Easter Sunday church service at Windsor Castle due to mobility issues.
It is hoped that she will be able to take part in the Trooping the Colour procession and appear on the balcony alongside her family during the Jubilee at the very least, the Telegraph reported.
The question of whether Harry and Meghan will be present has been the source of speculation after they did not attend a memorial service to honour Prince Philip last month.
Harry has said he fears for the safety of his family in the UK after a Home Office decision not to give him the police protection he had as a working royal, even if he paid for it himself – a move he is currently seeking a judicial review of.
A spokesperson for the Sussexes said they were not in a position to discuss travel plans for the Platinum Jubilee.
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