THE Queen has banned Meghan, Harry and Andrew from the Buckingham Palace balcony to stop the Platinum Jubilee turning into a circus, a royal expert has claimed.
In a fresh royal snub, Her Majesty today said the centre-piece will be reserved for working royals only – meaning the trio will be publicly excluded from Trooping the Colour on June 2.
Harry, Meghan and Andrew won’t join the Queen and other royals on the Buckingham Palace balcony for Trooping the Colour next month
The Sussexes have been snubbed from the Platinum Jubilee celebration on June 2
The Duke of York will also no longer stand with his relatives ‘after careful consideration’
All three had been expected to join the monarch for the traditional Trooping the Colour RAF flypast – but “after careful consideration” they can no longer take part.
Royal commentator Phil Dampier described the bold move “decisive”.
He said: “The Queen has acted decisively to make sure that her Platinum Jubilee celebrations don’t turn into a circus after months of dithering by Harry and Meghan, and all the scandal, involving Prince Andrew.
“She has made the right move to exclude them from the Platinum Jubilee celebrations at the Palace.”
FOUR HER
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He continued: “Harry and Meghan have been playing games over the last few months, but finally the Queen has decided it is better to make a stand.
“It is understandable that Andrew took a leading position at Prince Philip’s memorial because that was his father and it was a family gathering.
“But the Platinum Jubilee celebrations are a national event and he couldn’t be seen to be a working royal, certainly at the moment.
“It goes to show that despite the fact she’s physically frail at 96 and her health is not as good as it used to be, the Queen’s mind is sharp as a tack and she knows what is best to do for the monarchy.”
There had been doubt over whether Harry and Meghan would even come to the UK for the festivities next month – but minutes after the monarch’s announcement they confirmed they would fly in.
In their first visit as a family of four, they said they were “excited” to bring Archie, three, and baby Lilibet to Britain.
It means the Queen, Prince Charles and other senior royals will finally meet little Lili face-to-face for the first time.
The royal balcony snub means only working members of the Royal Family will wave to crowds on The Mall as Her Majesty celebrates 70 years on the throne.
The 96-year-old will stand alongside Charles and Camilla, William and Kate, and their kids George, Charlotte and Louis.
Also on the line-up will be Anne and her husband Sir Timothy Laurence, Edward and Sophie, their children Lady Louise Windsor and James Viscount Severn, and the Duke of Kent.
A Palace spokesperson said: “After careful consideration, the Queen has decided this year’s traditional Trooping the Colour balcony appearance on Thursday 2nd June will be limited to Her Majesty and those members of the royal family who are currently undertaking official public duties on behalf of the Queen.”
The symbolic move is likely to be interpreted as a snub to the Sussexes, who quit the monarchy for a new life in the US two years ago, and to Andrew, who was cast out of the institution over his civil sexual assault case.
Harry and Meghan, who after Megxit are no longer serving royals, were only last month invited to join the festivities, though they never confirmed their attendance.
There were fears they could “hijack or overshadow” the long weekend’s events, which take place from June 2 to June 5.
Palace planners were said to be frantically trying to decide where the California-based pair should stand for the balcony line-up.
But today they announced they were being snubbed from it entirely, alongside Andrew, who was last month stripped of his York title.
The under-fire royal was given the freedom of the city of York in a lavish ceremony in 1987, shortly after his marriage to Sarah Ferguson.
But on April 27, the city council voted to remove his status as an Honorary Freeman in an extraordinary meeting.
He is the first VIP to be stripped of his freemanship since Jimmy Savile posthumously had his freedom of Scarborough removed in 2011 after revelations about his sickening crimes came to light following his death.
JUBILANT CELEBRATIONS
On June 2, Trooping the Colour – the sovereign’s official birthday parade – will kick start the four days of Jubilee festivities.
Eighteen members of the Royal Family are set to gather on the famous frontage, with the monarch “looking forward” the weekend of celebrations.
The head of state has made an exception for Anne’s husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim, who is not a working royal, and her two youngest grandchildren Lady Louise and James, and her Cambridge great-grandchildren George, Charlotte and Louis.
The Palace spokesperson added: “In addition the Cambridge and Wessex children are also expected to appear as is Sir Tim Laurence, who the Queen is happy to attend as a frequent attendee and support for the Princess Royal on official engagements.”
Andrew stepped down from public duties in 2019 and just weeks ago paid a reported £12million out of court to settle a civil sexual assault case.
He was repeatedly denied all claims against him.
Andrew was stripped of his honorary military titles and forced to no longer use his HRH style, but he played a key role in March when he escorted his mother to the Duke of Edinburgh’s thanksgiving service.
Andrew and the Sussexes are invited to make appearance during other parts of the Jubilee weekend.
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An insider said: “Other family members will be invited to events.
“We’ve always made that clear and they are likely to be public events.”
Andrew, the Queen, Meghan, Charles, Harry, Kate, and William attend Trooping the Colour in June 2018
The Queen and Andrew arrive at a Service of Thanksgiving for Prince Philip in March 2022
Construction work is carried out at Buckingham Palace ahead of the Platinum Jubilee
Andrew drives from his Royal Lodge down the Long Walk to Windsor Castle today
The Duke of York out riding with grooms on the Windsor Estate
Railings in place outside Buckingham Palace before the Queen formally marks 70 years on the throne
