Prince Harry, Meghan and the Queen’s Jubilee: ‘a delicate balancing act’

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been invited to appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, according to reports.

The offer to join other Royals for the appearance – expected to take place at the Trooping the Colour birthday parade – was issued after a “low-key visit” to the Queen by the Sussexes last week, while en-route to the Netherlands to attend the Invictus Games for wounded service personnel, said The Guardian.

The Independent said their presence during the four days of jubilee celebrations would be a “significant addition” following tensions over the couple’s “explosive” interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, “in which they spoke of racism they had experienced from within the Royal Family”.

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But royal author Phil Dampier warned that the inclusion of the Sussexes would be a “delicate balancing act”.

‘Politely decline’ invite

Writing for the Daily Mail, Dampier said that “it will have to be made clear which events they are going to be seen at beforehand and agreed so that everyone is singing from the same song sheet”.

“Otherwise, it could turn into a PR disaster with the circus surrounding Harry and Meghan overshadowing celebrations for the Queen,” he added.

The Telegraph’s Allison Pearson agreed that the “Meghan and Harry psychodrama” must not be allowed to “overshadow” the upcoming “special national event”.

“Many monarchists are understandably dismayed” by the prospect of the “self-exiled, semi-detached royal couple who have caused Her Majesty so much embarrassment” will “play any role whatsoever in the Jubilee”, Pearson wrote.

She argued that if Harry and Meghan “have any class”, they would “politely decline the Queen’s kind invitation to join her on the balcony on the 70th anniversary of her accession”.

But according to the Daily Mail, “aides believe that Harry and Meghan's presence at her traditional Jubilee flypast would mean a lot to Her Majesty”.

And Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, told The Guardian that “it also seems likely it could be the last big family balcony appearance of her reign”.

“The Queen has the extended family on the balcony normally, working and non-working,” said Little, who added: “I see no reason for Harry and Meghan not to be there.”

In an interview with US network NBC’s Today Show, Prince Harry said he wasn’t sure if he would return to celebrate his grandmother’s Jubilee in the UK because of “security issues and everything else”.