Prince Harry And Meghan Snubbed From The Trooping The Colour Again As Royal Rift Deepens
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were not invited to the 2025 Trooping the Colour, marking their third consecutive exclusion from the royal event.
Despite Harry's recent call for reconciliation, insiders say the rift with the royal family is deepening. King Charles reportedly remains distant due to trust issues, and Prince William is firmly against mending ties.
Experts highlight that no palace aides are encouraging reconciliation, and the royals no longer trust Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with private conversations.
According to People Magazine, Harry and Meghan have not been invited to this year's Trooping the Colour, the annual military parade held to celebrate King Charles' official birthday, set to take place on Saturday, June 14.
This marks the third consecutive year the couple has been excluded from the event amid their ongoing estrangement from the royal family.
The last time the pair attended the military parade was in 2022, during Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee.
Even then, they weren't permitted on the main royal balcony and instead watched from a separate area reserved for non-working royals.
Since Queen Elizabeth's passing and Charles's rise to the throne later that year, Harry and Meghan have been entirely left off the guest list for Trooping the Colour.
Royal commentator Richard Eden emphasized the significance of their continued absence.
He noted that 2023 was "the first year of his life that Harry hasn't been invited at all."
Reflecting on how their status has evolved, Eden said: "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," Eden added. "So, you know, it's significant.
Despite stepping back from royal duties and relocating to California in 2020, there had once been hope that Harry and Meghan would still be included in major royal traditions.
Eden recalled that "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."
The US-based royals' ongoing absence, however, has now reflected a deeper rift that might never heal between the warring parties.
"The fact they haven't been invited is very significant," he noted.
News that Harry and Meghan were not invited to Trooping the Colour for the third consecutive year comes amid fresh tensions within the royal family, and just weeks after Harry publicly expressed a desire to reconcile with his father.
In a May interview with the BBC, the Duke of Sussex opened up about his strained relationship with the royal family after losing his final bid for taxpayer-funded security in the UK.
"There have been so many disagreements between me and some of my family," he said, adding that he had now "forgiven" them.
He continued: "I would love reconciliation with my family. There's no point in continuing to fight anymore. Life is precious. I don't know how much longer my father has. He won't speak to me because of this security stuff, but it would be nice to reconcile."
Despite Harry's plea for peace, insiders suggest the damage may be beyond repair. According to royal expert Hilary Fordwich, there is reportedly "no turning back" for Harry and Charles after more than five years of fractured relations.
"King Charles remains tender towards his son, but can't risk communication. Prince William now has absolutely no interest in mending fences," Fordwich told Fox News.
"The animosity is so deep that William has shut the door on Harry," she added. "Charles is not willing to go against his heir's wishes."
Fordwich emphasized that "Everything comes down to trust and the lack of it."
Fordwich's remarks align with recent reports from People Magazine, which also highlighted the king's hesitance to reconnect with his youngest son.
In the report, Royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith told the publication: "The underlying issue is trust. The king and William don't trust Harry and Meghan with any kind of confidential conversation."
Insiders further revealed that Charles is not being advised by anyone within the palace to make amends, and William is firmly against extending any olive branch.
As royal author Valentine Low pointed out: "There is not a good angel in [the king's] ear to say, 'Be a good dad and make the first move.'"
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