The Duke of Sussex sat out Trooping the Colours for a third year in a row
Not only was Prince Harry a no-show at Trooping the Colour this year, but royal insiders believe he probably didn’t bother to tune in to the parade from California.
Speaking to The Mirror ahead of the June 14 ceremony, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond doesn’t expect the Duke of Sussex to watch the spectacle, even on TV.
“There’s no way Prince Harry will be watching the ceremony — after all, it will be the middle of the night in California,” she told the outlet, adding, “I don’t suppose he wastes much time looking at events he is no longer part of.”
Saturday’s festivities marked King Charles’ official birthday celebration and brought out the full slate of senior royals for a lavish military display, including the iconic balcony appearance.
But Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, who last stood on the Buckingham Palace balcony in 2019, remain firmly off the royal guest list since stepping back from royal duties in 2021. Their final Trooping appearance was during Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022, where they were quietly placed away from the spotlight.
The event is steeped in tradition — from horseback processions by Prince William and Princess Anne to sweet moments from royal children during the RAF flypast. And Bond admits the day carries a clear message.
“It must be strange to see his whole family on parade… while he lives such a different life so far away,” she said. “The family will unite around the King, and the balcony moment is always a highlight.”
But for Harry, that chapter seems firmly closed.
