Meghan Markle and Prince Harry spent around 72 hours in Nigeria in May as they undertook a whirlwind visit to the African country – now it’s rumoured they won’t stop there.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited Nigeria last month. (Image: GETTY)
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are said to be planning a “world tour” after completing a visit to Nigeria.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry travelled to the African country in mid-May to deepen their charity work on issues close to their heart, promote the Duke’s Invictus Games and allow the Duchess to connect to her Nigerian heritage.
Following their trip to Nigeria, speculation started to swirl over whether this was just the first of a series of overseas visits by the two California-based royals.
The Duke of Sussex himself seemingly suggested more journeys of this kind would be planned, as he told Nigerian outlet Peoples Daily: “There’s only so much one can do from home and over Zoom, so we look forward to travelling more because the work matters.”
While Meghan and Harry haven’t publicly shared their future plans, a source previously claimed that Ghana may be the next destination of the Sussexes.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s trip to Nigeria served to highlight their charity work. (Image: GETTY)
They told the Mirror: “There is already a lot of talk and excitement in Ghana, everyone is so keen for Harry and Meghan to come and experience the great culture and warmth.”
They added: “Several top names have already visited Ghana in recent years from Ed Sheeran to Naomi Campbell and One Direction’s Liam Payne.”
Adding to the conversation about the Sussexes’ next move, TalkTV host Andre Walker claimed on his programme That Was The Woke That Was: “Harry and Meghan are planning a world tour this summer following on from the success of their trip to Nigeria.”
Discussing the reasons why Meghan and Harry, who are no longer working royals and haven’t represented the Crown since the spring of 2020, could be undertaking more overseas visits, political strategist Sam Armstrong told the host he believes the Duke and Duchess want to “prove a point”, which is that they can “do better” than the Prince and Princess of Wales.
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are no longer working royals. (Image: GETTY)
He continued: “What they are trying to do is show that they still got it and they can do it.
“And, of course, you can never forget that they have to do something to keep Spotify and Netflix interested, which have written a check for hundreds of millions of dollars to produce something so far haven’t got much for it.”
Meghan and Harry struck multi-year deals with the two streaming platforms in late 2020 and released a series of programmes for them.
Their partnership with Spotify was ended in the summer of 2023, and the Duchess has since signed a new podcast deal with Lemonada Media.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been savaged after a branding move labelled “savage” by a royal expert.
Meghan was slammed after one move a royal expert called ‘ridiculous’. (Image: Getty)
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been slammed for one “ridiculous” move as an expert claimed the couple has “never cared” for royal protocol.
Over the weekend, Prince Harry’s close friend and fellow polo player Nacho Figueras posted pictures on his Instagram story of two new American Riviera Orchard products – raspberry jam and dog biscuits – just hours before Trooping the Colour.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams claimed this was a “ridiculous” PR stunt and a way to get more media attention on her, adding that current A-list support for her brand is dwindling.
He told The Sun: “If the Sussexes want to make an impression in the United States, particularly in Hollywood, they need A-list support, and they’re not getting it… To do anything on the day of Trooping the Colour was ridiculous.”
He also pointed to Royal Family protocol that ensures there are no diary clashes between members of The Firm – something he said Prince Harry and Meghan had “never cared” about.
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Rebecca Robinson
Prince Harry ‘letting history repeat itself’ as he ‘fights battle’ with Royal Family
Prince Harry is “letting history repeat itself” by continuing to fight with the Royal Family and deepen the rift between them, an expert has claimed.
He has been accused of attacking the Royal Family and stepping into the role Princess Diana left behind after her ongoing feud with the Firm. In his memoir Spare, Harry discussed his mother and her legacy, expressing his desire for “peace” within his family.
Royal author Tom Quinn warned that Harry risks perpetuating the situation if he continues to dwell on Diana’s struggles. He told The Mirror: “Harry’s comment in Spare that he ‘wants peace’ with the royal family for the sake of his mother is undoubtedly heartfelt, but in being so focused on Diana, Harry is actually allowing history to repeat itself.
“Diana famously fell out with ‘the firm’ as she called it and spent much of her adult life criticising an institution she felt had let her down. Harry has taken on his mother’s mantle by carrying on exactly the same kind of criticism.”
Prince Harry has been accused of attacking the Royal Family too much. (Image: Getty)
Rebecca Robinson
Sign Prince Harry would leave UK life behind 10 years before he met Meghan Markle
Prince Harry may have hinted at leaving the Royal Family 10 years before Meghan Markle, a royal expert has claimed.
Royal author Tom Quinn said the Duke found life on the Afghan frontlines “better than staying in the UK”, as it offered him a sense of belonging he never experienced with the Royal Family.
This was a rare respite from the grief and alienation he’s faced since childhood, particularly related to his mother Princess Diana’s own sense of being an outsider.
He explained: “Harry’s statement that fighting in Afghanistan was better than remaining in Britain makes complete sense given that we know one of the few periods in his life during which he was happy was his time in the military. Fighting in Afghanistan gave him a sense of camaraderie that he has never had with his family.”
Prince Harry may have hinted at leaving the Royal Family years ago. (Image: Getty)
Rebecca Robinson
Meghan Markle ‘in the doghouse’ while Princess Kate shows bravery on world stage
Meghan Markle has “put herself in the doghouse” by promoting new American Riviera products as the Princess of Wales made a one-off Trooping the Colour appearance, a an expert has claimed.
Nacho Figueras, a close friend of Prince Harry’s, showed off raspberry jam and dog biscuits thought to be from the Duchess’ lifestyle brand on his Instagram story just hours before the highly anticipated royal event.
Asked on Sky News Australia whether the timing of the plug was intentional, journalist and royal commentator critic Louise Roberts said: “I would say this is intentional, but also a bit of a miss-hit because the timing was very, very poor.
“Instead of doing the classy thing and sending a very public message, particularly to Charles and Kate, given their cancer battle, ‘all the best for Trooping the Colour today, I hope it goes well,’ or something in the Meghan style.
“Instead one of Harry’s polo friends was putting up Instagram pictures of dog biscuits and raspberry jam. Now I don’t blame him [Harry] at all, clearly Meghan had a hand in this. But to take the spotlight away from her father-in-law and sister-in-law is really, really poor form I think.
“I don’t think anyone cares about jam or dog biscuits at a time when the whole world’s attention, in particular, is on Kate and her bravery on the world stage and being very stylish, unlike her sister-in-law who really has put herself in the doghouse by spruiking products and not focusing on the Royal Family.”
Meghan has been slammed for the timing of a PR move. (Image: Getty)
Rebecca Robinson
Meghan Markle’s pal slaps down claims she attempted to overshadow Princess Kate
Prince Harry’s pal promoting Meghan Markle’s new products on the same day as Trooping the Colour was “his own idea” and not a deliberate PR stunt by the Duchess, an insider source has claimed.
Nacho Figueras, who plays polo with Prince Harry, posted photos of new American Riviera Orchard raspberry jam and dog biscuits on his Instagram story, just hours before Princess Kate was due to make a one-off appearance for King Charles’ birthday.
Many saw this as a deliberate attempt by Meghan to steal the limelight from the Royal Family, but one source said this is not the case.
The source claimed: “While I am sure the gift packages came with notes requesting social media coverage, you can’t tell Nacho Figueras what to do, so I think it’s certain the timing of his post was his own idea.
“The larger point here is that the American Riviera Orchard campaign has been phenomenally successful and cost Meghan nothing.
“It is a text book social media campaign. The only problem is that there still seems to be nothing actually for sale, so what is it all for? I guess we will find out.”
Meghan has been defended for this one move. (Image: Getty)
Rebecca Robinson
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s verdict on summer Balmoral visit with Archie and Lilibet
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will decline any future invitation to Balmoral, an expert has claimed.
King Charles usually heads to the Balmoral estate in Scotland for his summer holidays, joined by other members of the Royal Family upon invitation.
Prince Harry once called it “paradise”, but now an expert has claimed he will never return.
Royal author Tom Quinn told the Mirror: “King Charles will issue the traditional invitation to Harry and Meghan to spend part of the summer at Balmoral, but safe in the knowledge that Harry and Meghan will make their excuses and decline.
“Relaxing at the 50,000-acre private estate might be just the place to let bygones be bygones, but Camilla will be dreading anything that threatens the calm her husband needs to continue his recovery from cancer.
“Harry would love to see Kate and his expressions of concern for her are deeply felt but he knows that he can’t see Kate without seeing his brother so it’s not going to happen.”
A royal author claimed the couple would never return to Balmoral. (Image: Getty)
Rebecca Robinson
Meghan Markle’s Suits co-star gives verdict on her love and happiness with Prince Harry
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are still “very happy” despite ongoing rifts with their families, according to one of Meghan’s former Suits co-stars.
At the Tony Awards on Sunday, Wendell Pierce told PEOPLE about their affection for each other despite the ongoing familial tensions.
He said: “When [Meghan] came into town, she got an award last year, had a chance to say hello and wish she and Prince Harry well and wish the children well. They look very much in love and were very happy, so that’s the most important thing.
“I’ve gotten to see her just a few times since, and we’ve been able to reminisce and so it’s real, we have fond memories of working together,.”
One of Meghan’s former co-stars said the couple are still happy and in love. (Image: Getty)
Rebecca Robinson
Prince Harry got one thing in Afghanistan he never had with Royal Family
Prince Harry found serving in Afghanistan “better than staying in the UK” as it gave him one thing he never experienced with the Royal Family, an expert has claimed.
Royal author Tom Quinn said that the Duke found a sense of belonging while in the military, which he did not have as a working member of the Firm.
He explained: “Harry’s statement that fighting in Afghanistan was better than remaining in Britain makes complete sense given that we know one of the few periods in his life during which he was happy was his time in the military. Fighting in Afghanistan gave him a sense of camaraderie that he has never had with his family.”
Prince Harry reportedly found a sense of belonging in Afghanistan. (Image: Getty)
Rebecca Robinson
Prince Harry issued blunt warning as Firm is ‘united’ despite ‘attacks’
Prince Harry has been issued a blunt warning as the Royal Family stands “united” against the “attacks” from him and Meghan Markle.
Speaking on Sky News Australia, The Mirror’s royal editor Russell Myers said: “They’re going to [have to] sort of realise, if they’re going to have a relationship with the rest of the Royal Family, they can’t go about trashing them.
“They can’t go about making money off their associations with the Royal Family, hopefully, they’ll see that the Royal Family are very united without them and if they do want a relationship, go forward, they need to take the steam out of their relationship and out of the things they say sometimes.”
The Firm are said to be ‘united’ against ‘attacks.’. (Image: Getty)
The Prince of Wales is ‘determined’ to make sure his own children are given a different life to the one he and Prince Harry had growing up, an expert has claimed
Prince William is determined to give his three children a different life from the one he and Prince Harry had growing up, a body language expert has claimed.
William and his brother Harry have previously opened up about their difficult childhoods, as the pair were first-hand witnesses to their parents’ volatile marriage and subsequent divorce. These marital issues played out in full view of the public, creating a buzz in the media – which meant the boys, then aged fourteen and twelve, were banned from watching TV while at Ludgrove boarding school.
The following year, tragedy struck when their mother, Diana, Princess of Wales suddenly died in a car crash while on a trip to Paris in 1997. It was later revealed that at her funeral, the brothers had only agreed to walk behind her coffin at the 11th hour after being persuaded by their father who wanted to walk.
The image was captioned ‘We love you, Papa. Happy Father’s Day’
And as heir to the throne, William had the added pressure of ensuring he was brought up within the confines of traditional Royal protocols. But an expert now claims that the future King’s choice of pose in a new Father’s Day snap suggests he is determined to give his children a very different life than the one he had growing up.
To mark Father’s Day on Sunday, Willaim’s children shared the sweet photo on Kensington’s X account featuring them wrapped around their father as the quartet gazes out to the Norfolk sea with their backs to the camera. Kate, Princess of Wales, took the photo herself, while a sweet caption read: “We love you, Papa. Happy Father’s Day. G, C & L.”
The Father’s Day post comes after William shared his own moving message in tribute to the King as he revealed his affectionate nickname for the monarch. In a social media post, the Prince of Wales said: “Happy Father’s Day, Pa. W” and attached a photo of a young William next to the future king, who had a small football at his feet.
Charles and Diana at home in Kensington Palace with the boys(
Image: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
William posted a photo of himself and King Charles to mark Father’s Day(
Image: PA)
According to body language expert Judi James, William’s pose in the new snap with his children suggests he is determined to forge a different life for the young Royals than the one he had growing up. She told the Mirror: “The contrast between William’s choice of pose to illustrate his own view of fatherhood and the pose he chose to celebrate his own father’s role in his life could hardly be stronger, suggesting that although he appreciates the kind of upbringing he had, he is determined to forge something different for his own children.”
She added that the future King has taken experiences from his past to create a more “modern” family unit. She said: “William continually shows how he uses lessons from his past to forge the kind of family unit he sees as more modern and more ideal. His understanding of duty and loyalty seems strong but he is clearly also determined to create a more casual and playful life for his own children than he or his father were allowed to enjoy.”
Prince William and Prince Harry previously opened up about the devastating impact their parents’ divorce had on them growing up. Speaking on the ITV Documentary Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy, which aired in July 2017, Harry said: “There was the point where our parents split and… we never saw our mother enough or we never saw our father enough.
He added: “There was a lot of travelling and a lot of fights on the back seat with my brother, which I would win. There was all that to contend with. I don’t pretend we’re the only people to have to deal with that, but it was an interesting way of growing up.”
Opening up on the tragic death of his mother, Diana, Prince William added: “Even now I can feel the hugs that she used to give us. I miss that, I miss that feeling, I miss that part of a family, I miss having that mother to be able to give you those hugs, give you that compassion that I think everybody needs.”
Prince Harry once labelled Balmoral “paradise” as rumours keep swirling over whether King Charles will invite him and his family to the beloved estate in Scotland. But one royal expert claims he already knows the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s verdict.
The monarch usually retreats to Scotland for his summer holidays and it is a tradition that members of the Royal Family visit him, usually after an invitation.
While no formal invitation has been confirmed, Harry and Meghan Markle are tipped to receive one, however, it is not clear whether they will accept. In his memoir Spare, the duke claimed he felt happy in Balmoral.
He wrote: “To me, Balmoral was always simply Paradise. A cross between Disney World and some sacred Druid grove.
“I was always too busy fishing, shooting, running up and down ‘the hill’ to notice anything off about the Feng Shui of the old castle. What I’m trying to say is, I was happy there.” Now royal author Tom Quinn said he’s certain the Montecito couple will decline any invitation to Balmoral.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could get an invite to Balmoral this summer (Image: Getty) Stay up-to-date with the latest Royal newsJoin us on WhatsApp
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He told the Mirror: “King Charles will issue the traditional invitation to Harry and Meghan to spend part of the summer at Balmoral, but safe in the knowledge that Harry and Meghan will make their excuses and decline.
“Relaxing at the 50,000-acre private estate might be just the place to let bygones be bygones, but Camilla will be dreading anything that threatens the calm her husband needs to continue his recovery from cancer.”
Mr Quinn added that Harry’s frosty relationship with his older brother Prince William could also prevent him from accepting. The two feuding brothers are said to not be on “speaking terms” after Harry and Meghan’s scathing attacks against the Firm.
The expert explained: “Harry would love to see Kate and his expressions of concern for her are deeply felt but he knows that he can’t see Kate without seeing his brother so it’s not going to happen.”
Prince Harry felt ‘terribly alone’ after hearing shock confession from William and Charles
Prince Harry opened up on an incident involving his dad, King Charles, and his brother, Prince William, that left him feeling shocked and ‘alone’
Prince Harry has opened up on the moment that made him feel “terribly alone”.
It came as he admitted it felt as though his father, King Charles, and brother, Prince William, may never have known him at all following his decision to leave England and start a new life in the United States.
The admission came in the Duke of Sussex’s memoir, Spare. In it, Harry described the conversation he had with his older brother regarding Harry’s decision to step back from his royal duties with his wife Meghan Markle.
Prince Harry was left baffled by William and Charles’ reaction(
Image: Getty Images)
Harry said he “couldn’t believe what I was hearing” during the tense encounter. “It was one thing to disagree about who was at fault or how things might have been different, but for him to claim total ignorance of the reasons I’d fled the land of my birth— the land for which I’d fought and been ready to die—my Mother Country?,” he wrote. “That fraught phrase. To claim no knowledge of why my wife and I took the drastic step of picking up our child and just running like hell, leaving behind everything—house, friends, furniture? Really?”
The Duke continued to share his bemusement at his brother’s reaction before admitting his shock that his father apparently had the same reaction. “If they didn’t know why Id left, maybe they just didn’t know me. At all,” he added. ”And maybe they never really did.”
Harry went on the share that perhaps he too didn’t know either and said this made him feel “colder” and “terribly alone”.
The Duke missed Trooping the Colour this weekend as relationships continue to be strained between himself and the royal family. Despite his no-show at the event on Saturday, which is also known as the King’s Birthday Parade, one expert believes he will be regretting the decision. The last time Harry attended the event was in 2019, the year before he quit his senior royal duties.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told the Sun: “I think when it comes to military matters Harry has always taken an interest.” He also expressed his view on the Sussexes’ split from the Royal Family, saying: “I think that he does unquestionably view the way the break has occurred with the Royal Family. Which, as I say in my opinion, is the fault of the Sussexes. They’ve been hoping for an apology from the Royal Family regarding their treatment during their time as senior royals, which is unlikely to happen. There’s likely a touch of regret there.”
Prince Harry’s swipe at Queen Camilla with cruel two-word nickname
Prince Harry shared his nickname for Queen Camilla and also claimed that he and Prince William “sensed a presence” of a third party in their parents’ relationship
Prince Harry has a mean nickname for his stepmother
Prince Harry took a swipe at Queen Camilla in his memoir.
The 39-year-old Duke of Sussex appears to have adopted an unconventional nickname for his 76-year-old stepmother, referring to her as the “Other Woman”. Harry has also revealed that the Queen Consort’s relationship with King Charles “confused” and “tormented” his brother, Prince William, throughout their childhood.
In the Duke’s bombshell memoir Spare, Harry mentioned Camilla 60 times and claimed he and his brother begged their father not to marry her. In one heartbreaking passage, he described how he and Prince William “sensed the presence” of a third party in their parents’ infamously tumultuous relationship and claimed that his brother was left feeling “tremendous guilt” when King Charles and Queen Camilla got together.
Prince Harry says he and William had “sensed the presence” of “the Other woman” in their parents’ relationship (
Image:
Getty Images)
In Spare, Harry refers to the late Princess Diana’s iconic BBC Panorama interview, in which she said: “There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded”. The Duke then goes on to explain that his mother’s “maths was off” because she failed to take into account the toll that the royal love triangle took on her sons.
Harry wrote: “She left Willy and me out of the equation,” before describing how although they did not fully understand what was going on in their parents’ relationship, he and William sensed something was not right. He said: “We didn’t understand what was going on with her and Pa, certainly, but we intuited enough, we sensed the presence of the Other Woman, because we suffered the downstream effects.”
Prince Harry released his controversial memoir last year (
Image:
Getty Images)
The Duke – who is currently estranged from his older brother and the rest of the Royal Family – added how he thought William was tormented by his “long harboured suspicions” about their father’s relationship with Camilla, adding that he felt “tremendous guilt” when “those suspicions were confirmed”. Although their relationship had been rumoured for a long time beforehand, Charles and Camilla appeared in public together for the first time in 1999, around a year and a half after the tragic death of Princess Diana. At the time, Harry was 14 years old and William was 17.
Harry wrote: “Willy long harboured suspicions about the Other Woman, which confused him, tormented him, and when those suspicions were confirmed he felt tremendous guilt for having done nothing, said nothing, sooner.”
No one enjoys a royal event quite like Prince Louis – and the young prince once again stole the show as he joined his family for the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony
Little Prince Louis once again stole the show when he joined this family for the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony. The cheeky six-year-old charmed onlookers with his animated reactions to the event, from showcasing his dance moves to pretending to fall asleep.
Louis is much loved for his excitable expressions; previous Trooping the Colour ceremonies have seen the young royal saluting along with his relatives, chatting to his late great-grandmother the Queen, and covering his ears and mock-screaming during the fly-past.
This year, he was just as entertaining. He attended the event with his older siblings, Prince George and Princess Charlotte. And his mother Princess Kate was also there to keep an eye on her youngest as she made her return to the public eye for the first time since announcing her cancer diagnosis in March.
Prince William was there, too. He rode on horseback alongside his aunt, the Princess Royal, and his uncle, the Duke of Edinburgh, before joining his wife and children on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
Louis certainly seemed to enjoy the celebrations. As the British Grenadiers marched past, musicians played a bagpipe-led piece and Louis was seen moving quickly in time with the music, while Kate watched him and smiled.
He also entertained fans when he played with the drawstring for the blinds, as well as fiddling with the window at the Duke of Wellington’s former office. Now a lip reader has revealed some of the comments made by the young Prince on the day – including one brutal remark to his sister, Charlotte.
Question for Kate
As Louis reached for the blind beads, he could be seen turning to his mum and asking: “Can I play with these beads?” In response, Kate told him: “No. I need you to concentrate on the parade.”
Prince Loius waves through a steamed up window as he travels in a horse-drawn carriage during Trooping the Colour King’s Birthday Parade in London(
Image: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publis)
Brutal reply to Charlotte
Princess Charlotte often takes charge when it comes to her two brothers, and the same was true at the Trooping. But Louis was clearly feeling defiant.
Charlotte could be seen telling him: “You have to stop doing that. Watch the parade.” In response, Louis shrugged his shoulders and replied: “I won’t.” “Do as you’re told,” his sister then urged, to which the young Prince simply retorted: “Nope.”
Concerns about crowds
There were lighter moments between the siblings. At one point, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte could be seen laughing together, with: Louis saying: “They’re going to get wet!
Lesson from dad Prince William
Little Louis often likes to have a chat on the Buckingham Palace balcony – and this year he was seen speaking to his dad William as they watched the flypast. “That’s why they are called hawks, they’re trained to fight in the sky,” William told his youngest as they spoke about the Hawk T 1, which the Red Arrows Display team has been using since 1979.
Review of the flypast
Louis certainly enjoyed watching the flypast, which marks the end of the official celebrations. Once the jets had passed over the royals, mum Kate asked her son, “Did you like that?” to which Louis enthusiastically replied: “That was so much fun.”
Prince Harry’s Discomfort Grows as Whoopi Goldberg Unveils Meghan Markle’s Lies in New York.
Whoopi Goldberg is raising an eyebrow at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s alleged paparazzi car chase in New York City on Tuesday.
The 67-year-old Egot winner revealed her skepticism toward’s the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s alleged car chase while on “The View” on Thursday.
“Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were followed by paparazzi while leaving the Ziegfeld Theatre. Their spokesperson called it a ‘near-catastrophic car chase,’” Goldberg said while flashing a doubtful facial expression, much to the audience’s laughter.
Read More: Sunny Hostin Says Whoopi Goldberg ‘Didn’t Like’ Being Blamed For ‘The View’ Fart
“Others said it wasn’t bad,” she added. “But I think people in New York know if it was possible to have car chases in New York, we’d all make it to the theatre on time.”
Goldberg continued doubling down on her suspicion of their claims, stating that…
King Charles ‘quickly dismissed idea to invite Harry and Meghan to Trooping the Colour’
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were once again absent from Trooping the Colour at the weekend, marking it five years since the Sussexes last attended the ceremony
King Charles reportedly dismissed inviting Harry and Meghan to Trooping the Colour
King Charles celebrated Trooping the Colour at the weekend, but there were noticeable absentees with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle remaining stateside.
The Sussexes have not attended the event, also known as the King’s Birthday Parade, since 2019 – a year before they quit their roles as senior working royals. And a royal expert now says there were brief talks on whether to invite the pair to this year’s ceremony, but the Firm is said to have quickly shot down that idea.
Royal expert Tom Quinn told The Mirror : “There was a brief discussion among the senior Royals about inviting Harry and Meghan to trooping the colour, but the idea was quickly dismissed because even if the couple accepted the invitation there is a feeling that they cast a dark shadow over everything.”
The royals on the balcony after Trooping the Colour ( Image: (Image: Getty))
Princess Kate made a return to the public eye at the event following the news she is undergoing treatment for cancer. Kate, 42, beamed as she stood on the balcony at Buckingham Palace during the climax of the event. As the RAF flypast took place, Kate was seen waving to the cheering crowds as she stood shoulder-to-shoulder with King Charles, who is also having cancer treatment.
The princess stood on the balcony alongside her husband Prince William and the pair were seen chatting enthusiastically while their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis watched on.
While Harry was a no-show once again, another royal expert said he would have felt “regret” at his decision to stay away. Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams believes the Duke of Sussex must harbour some nostalgia for his past duties, especially those linked to his time with the military.
Speaking after their absence, Fitzwilliams told the Sun: “I think when it comes to military matters Harry has always taken an interest.”
He also shared his thoughts on the Sussexes’ split from the Royal Family, adding: “I think that he does unquestionably view the way the break has occurred with the Royal Family. Which, as I say in my opinion, is the fault of the Sussexes. They’ve been hoping for an apology from the Royal Family regarding their treatment during their time as senior royals, which is unlikely to happen. There’s likely a touch of regret there.”
In a surprising turn of events, Argentinian polo player Nacho Figueras, a close friend of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, has seemingly attempted to steal the spotlight from Princess Kate’s return at this year’s Trooping the Colour ceremony. The annual event, which commemorates the reigning monarch’s birthday, is a highly anticipated occasion for royal watchers and fans.
Figueras, known for his association with the Sussexes, shared a series of intriguing photos on his social media account. The images featured a jar of raspberry jam and a box of dog biscuits, both bearing the label of Meghan Markle’s lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard.
The timing of this post raised eyebrows, as it coincided with Princess Kate’s appearance at the Trooping the Colour parade.
The Duchess of Sussex has a history of releasing news or photos on the same day as other royals’ engagements, leading to speculation that she might be planning something significant for the event. While Figueras did not provide any explicit context for the photos, their connection to Meghan’s brand suggests a deliberate attempt to overshadow Princess Kate’s return.
CopyAMP code
Princess Kate’s participation in this year’s Trooping the Colour was especially noteworthy due to her ongoing battle with cancer. Despite her health challenges, she expressed gratitude for the public’s understanding and conveyed her hope to engage in more official duties over the summer while continuing her healing process.
This marks the second consecutive year that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were not invited to the celebration. Their absence has fueled ongoing rumors of tension within the royal family, although official statements remain diplomatic and minimal.
American Riviera Orchard, founded by Meghan Markle earlier this year, has been making waves with its unique offerings. The raspberry jam and dog biscuits featured in Figueras’s photos are part of the brand’s lineup, which emphasizes organic and sustainable products.
