A royal expert has offered insight on the "very significant" message the royal family sent to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle regarding their attendance at Trooping the Colour in past years. The annual celebration, which takes place every June, sees over 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians turn out to celebrate the King's birthday in style.
Marked with a march from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade in London, the ceremonial event is a firm feature on the royal calendar. Regiments of the Household Division will be on hand to mark the official birthday of the British sovereign. The special occasion also features a highly anticipated balcony appearance by members of the Royal Family. This year, the event is scheduled for Saturday, June 14.
In 2023, Prince Harry wasn't invited to attend "for the first time in his life". With only working royals expected at this year's Trooping the Colour, it's believed the King's youngest son and his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, will be absent once again.
The Duke of Sussex, who is currently fifth in line to the British throne, famously stepped down from official duties with his wife back in January 2020.
Since their departure, there has been much speculation ahead of all official royal events about whether the couple will make an appearance.
Richard Eden, the Palace Confidential broadcaster and diary columnist at Daily Mail, said during a 2023 television appearance: "[This is] the first year of his life that Harry hasn't been invited at all. With Harry and Meghan, we've always had a sort of 'will they, won't they' before every big royal occasion.
"Well, it seems like the palace has tackled this this time by just not inviting them at all. So, you know, it's significant.
"When Harry and Meghan quit royal duties, I think officials were very keen to stress that they would still be invited to occasions such as Trooping the Colour so the fact they haven't been invited is very significant."

The segment of the interview gained traction after it was shared on TikTok, where royals fans eagerly weighed in with their perspectives.
One person stated: "Easier not to invite... too many demands and stipulations" while another said: "Tired of headlines WILL THEY COME? Now we don't have to wonder! Great decision, Palace!!"
A third remarked: "First time for everything" and another guessed: "I don't think he would attend anyway."
Someone else said: "Which part don't you people understand? [They're] not working royals and they walked out of the circus. Leave them alone, it's not like they were gonna come [either]."
Buckingham Palace has yet to confirm which members of the Royal Family will grace the balcony for the RAF flypast, a show-stopping moment of Trooping the Colour. It's anticipated that only working royals will attend, suggesting Harry and Meghan will be excluded.
Prince Harry, 40, and Meghan, 43, have been together for nine years. The couple revealed they were introduced on a blind date by a mutual friend in July 2016.
Their romance became public knowledge in November of the same year, with their engagement announced a year later on November 27, 2017 by King Charles III, then the Prince of Wales.
The couple were married on Saturday, May 19, 2018 at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. They share two children, Prince Archie Harrison and Princess Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.