As with any big royal event, especially at the moment in the early days of King Charles' reign, there is much anticipation in the lead up to this weekend's Trooping the Colour. It's the first time the new monarch has marked the occasion since he was crowned, and it's the first time since the late 1980s that the sovereign will carry out the inspections on horseback, after his mum the late Queen chose to travel on a horse and carriage.
But unlike any other big royal events of late, people are not spending hours in the build up, wondering whether there will be an appearance from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who are said to be "relieved" they're not attending King Charles' first Trooping the Colour this weekend, a royal expert has claimed to the Mirror.
It's been reported the couple were invited to the shindig but they're not planning to attend and haven't been since they stepped down from their roles as working royals in 2020.
Royal expert and author Tessa Dunlop believes they won't be heartbroken to miss the celebrations and she's been telling the Mirror why.
Tessa said: "Prince Harry is not coming to the King's inaugural Trooping of the Colour, when for the first time since 1986 Britain's monarch will be mounted taking the salute," she started.
"Whether Harry was invited or not (probably not – why would you invite someone who was not going to attend?) is a moot point. Harry is no longer a working royal.
"Trooping the Colour is a job for our working royals. The key word there is 'job'. Saturday will see them dressed up and on parade, doing what they do best, providing the military, which depends on its hierarchical structures, with an symbolic figurehead.
"Harry despite his impressive two tours in Afghanistan is now an army veteran like any other ordinary ex-soldier. He has been stripped of his honorary uniform and titles," Tessa added.
"Last year he attended the Trooping of the Colour because his one-time commander-and-chief, the Queen, was celebrating her Platinum Jubilee. But even then he and Meghan cut shadowy civilian figures, seen briefly in a window.
"There was no balcony appearance. Those are days are gone. Will he miss them? I doubt it."
Tessa went on to reference the appearance Harry and Meghan made when they were working royals before the pandemic.
"When the Sussexes made an appearance at Trooping of the Colour as working royals before the pandemic, Harry – never an honorary colonel like his brother – was not accorded a role on horseback.
"We now know that playing second fiddle (Spare) to William chaffed and I suspect he is also relieved that courtesy of his new civilian identity he does not have to cross the Atlantic for yet another ceremonial pit-stop," Tessa says.
"With family tensions unresolved, these days the prince's priority in Britain is his many legal cases. Harry is a changed man – he has opted for America and freedom from an institution over the British royal family and their unique version of duty.
"For fans of the Sussexes in Britain, his absence will be a loss but one we need to get used to."
Earlier we reported that t he Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s deal with Spotify has ended after just one series of Meghan's podcast.
Following a mutual agreement between the royals and the streaming giant, a joint statement from Archewell Audio and Spotify was released.
Meghan hosted only one series as part of the deal - the podcast Archetypes - which ran for 12 episodes from August 2022, chatting to celebrities, historians and experts about the history of stereotypes levelled against women.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s deal with Spotify has ended after just one series of Meghan's podcast.
Following a mutual agreement between the royals and the streaming giant, a joint statement from Archewell Audio and Spotify was released.
Meghan hosted only one series as part of the deal – the podcast Archetypes, which ran for 12 episodes from August 2022, chatting to celebrities, historians and experts about the history of stereotypes levelled against women.
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