THE Queen has banned Meghan Markle, Prince Harry and Prince Andrew from the Buckingham Palace balcony at her Platinum Jubilee celebrations, it was revealed today.
The trio had been expected to join Her Majesty for the traditional Trooping the Colour RAF flypast – but “after careful consideration” they will now be publicly excluded.
Only working members of the Royal Family will wave to crowds on The Mall as the monarch 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, and their children Lady Louise Windsor and James Viscount Severn.
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.”
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The symbolic move is likely to be interpreted as a snub to Harry and Meghan, 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.
The Sussexes, 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.
Sources suggested the couple may bring their daughter Lilibet, 10 months, to meet her great-grandmother for the first time alongside son, Archie, who turns three today.
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.
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.
