At Trooping the Colour, Catherine, the Princess of Wales, made a warmly welcomed return to public life, riding in a carriage alongside her children. She smiled and waved to cheering crowds who were delighted to see her out with her family after an extended absence. Elegant as ever, she wore a striking white dress accented with a black bow, paired with a coordinating white hat perched atop her bun.
Royal commentator Michael Cole suggested the Princess’ ensemble paid homage to Hollywood glamour. Speaking to GB News, he noted that the gown, designed by Jenny Packham, appeared to reference Cecil Beaton’s iconic black-and-white Royal Ascot costumes from the film My Fair Lady, which starred Audrey Hepburn.
“Courage is grace under pressure,” Cole said, adding that the Princess embodied that sentiment. He acknowledged the immense challenge she faces, noting how difficult it must be to undergo preventative chemotherapy while remaining in the global spotlight, with the world watching her every move
The balcony appearance at Trooping the Colour has long been one of the most anticipated moments of the royal calendar, drawing excitement from both the Royal Family and the crowds gathered below. This year, however, fewer working royals stepped out onto the balcony. Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice were absent, as were Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Royal commentator Tom Quinn revealed that there had been brief discussions about inviting the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to the event. However, the proposal was reportedly dismissed amid concerns about the potential impact of their presence.
“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,” Quinn told the Daily Mirror.
It remains unclear whether Prince Harry reached out privately to his father, King Charles III. Publicly, however, he did not mark the monarch’s birthday and also made no Father’s Day tribute on social media.
Just hours before Trooping the Colour began, Nacho Figueras — a close friend of Meghan Markle — shared an Instagram Story unveiling a new raspberry-flavored jam from the Duchess’s lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard. The timing drew criticism online, with some commentators calling the move “shocking,” “disgusting,” and “narcissistic,” arguing it clashed with the significance of the royal event.
A source close to Meghan told the Daily Beast that while gift packages may have included notes encouraging social media posts, the timing of Figueras’ upload was likely his own decision.
“The larger point here is that the American Riviera Orchard campaign has been phenomenally successful and cost Meghan nothing,” the source added.
In an interview with The Sun, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams dismissed the idea that Meghan Markle would deliberately promote her brand on the day of Trooping the Colour as “silly.”
“What’s so odd is that she did anything on the day of Trooping the Colour at all — it doesn’t make any sense,” he said. “I don’t think it’s been thought out. This makes no public relations sense. It’s ridiculous.”
Fitzwilliams went on to suggest that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have historically paid little attention to royal protocol, particularly the convention of avoiding diary clashes with major royal events.
“Meghan would not have been advised to do this by any of her public relations consultants. This is something of a joke. It’s very, very odd. If she just sent the jam to a friend, she should have asked him not to post it, because otherwise it clearly makes them objects of mockery,” he added.
Beyond the controversies, sources close to the Sussexes reveal that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have made efforts to reconcile with his family. They have reportedly shown genuine concern for Catherine, Princess of Wales’s health and reached out after her planned abdominal surgery—learning about her cancer only from the video she shared publicly.
Their direct communication with the palace, Prince William, and Kate has remained “very limited,” according to the source.
“They have had enough information to know that people are excited about the idea of a comeback for Kate, and they’re both relieved and happy to hear that she’s on the mend and may soon be well enough to return to her duties,” the insider told Closer.
At Sandringham, Norfolk, on December 25, 2023, Catherine, Princess of Wales attended the Christmas Morning Service at Sandringham Church.
An insider revealed that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have “jointly reached out to send well wishes” to Kate, though she has not responded much. “This hasn’t stopped them from trying to connect,” the source said.
The source added that the Sussexes hope Kate’s return to royal duties could ease some of the pressure on the family and potentially “trigger a truce.”
“Meghan’s desperate to come across as the bigger person and end this feud between them — appearing like some sort of royal savior could only do her image good,” the insider told Closer.
“And, despite all their bad blood, her heart does go out to Kate — she can only imagine how hard this situation must be for her. Meghan has made it clear she’d love nothing more than to move past all the nonsense and find a way towards healing for everyone’s sake. She’s ready to let the anger and bitterness go,” the insider added.
The relationship between the Sussexes and King Charles III remains strained, with limited contact between the monarch and his grandchildren. Prince Archie of Sussex has been seen by Charles only a few times, while Lilibet ‘Lili’ Diana Mountbatten-Windsor has met him just once.
“Charles has had discussions about an official visit to the United States at some time in the future, and there is no doubt if it goes ahead he would build in time to visit his youngest son and his grandchildren, but there are mountains of planning to be overcome before that becomes even a remote possibility,” royal commentator Tom Quinn told the Daily Mirror.
Quinn added that Charles has privately visited other countries, including an unpublicized trip to Transylvania to check on his rental properties, suggesting a discreet private visit to see Harry and the children in California is possible. “He is desperate to see them and hates the idea that Archie and Lili will not remember him as the warm, friendly grandfather he wants to be,” Quinn said.
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