The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations will take place next weekend, and while she will want to show a united family, and a strong monarchy for the future, royal watchers are worried what Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will do.
Already, the fact that they are flying into the U.K. with their two children, Archie, 3, and Lilibet, 11 months, is something of a spectacle in itself, but they will also be attending a thanksgiving service at St. Paul’s Cathedral with the rest of the royal family on June 3.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s presence threatens to overshadow celebrations
While the Queen would obviously like to bring her family together and show the world that all is well in the royal family, Harry and Meghan’s presence risks overshadowing the event, something the Queen is said to be worried about.
A source told the Daily Mail, “Her Majesty is typically very keen that the Platinum Jubilee be a celebration not of herself and her own longevity, but of the institution of the monarchy and the people that support and sustain it.”
They continued, “It is also a chance for people to come together after a very difficult period for this country. She doesn’t want anything to overshadow it – and that includes any family issues.”
Those family issues have upstaged various royal events time and time again, taking the spotlight off the real issues and putting it on the drama unfolding around the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, even while they’re all the way in California.
The Queen will appear on Buckingham Palace with her heirs and their wives
Despite appearing at a thanksgiving service, and perhaps a handful of other unconfirmed events, Harry and Meghan will not be on the balcony at Buckingham Palace to close out the festivities on Sunday, and neither will Prince Andrew.
According to the Mirror, the Queen will have her heirs and their wives next to her, which includes Prince Charles, and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William and Kate Middleton, and their son Prince George (it’s still unconfirmed whether or not Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will appear.)
The Queen wants to show her family is united
The source claimed that the Queen wants to show the world that her family is united in their duty, saying “Her Majesty believes it will send a strong message to the world, that despite the family’s trials and tribulations over the past few years, those at the very top are united in getting on with the job, sharing her sense of duty and dedication to serving the people of this country and the Commonwealth.”
Platinum Jubilee celebrations will kick off next Thursday with the Queen’s birthday parade, which will include a flypast later in the day.
They are a clear and present danger to this historic event. I hope palace security follow their every move.