For more than 260 years, the Trooping of the Colour has marked the official birthday of the British Sovereign.
The ceremony is performed every year in London and sees thousands of soldiers, horses and musicians put on a grand display of precision marching.
And this weekend, the Trooping of the Colour will see King Charles' first celebration as monarch - which will mark a huge deviation from the norm.
For the first time in history, the head of the royal family's children will not all be in attendance as His Majesty’s younger son and daughter-in-law Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are said to be “not welcome.”
The Daily Mail’s Richard Eden said in a column: “Prince Harry and Meghan have not been invited to the King’s Birthday Parade. It will be the first time in Harry’s life that he has not been welcome at the monarch’s official birthday celebrations.”
A source told Eden: “I’m afraid it’s a reflection of the state of relations at the moment.”
For the first 35 years of the Duke's life, his spot on the Palace balcony was always secured - with him even making his debut appearance at Trooping before he had celebrated his first birthday.
2019 was the last time Harry and Meghan appeared on the famous balcony - as they had already stepped down as senior royals by the time Covid was over and they attended the event again.
However, they joined the extended family who watched the event from Major General‘s Office at Horse Guards Parade.
While Harry and Meghan were not allowed out onto the Palace balcony afterwards, as is now standard for non-official representatives of the crown, they were still a part of things.
They were, as Her late Majesty went to pains to point out more than once, “much loved” members of the family.
However, now, the Duke will be nowhere to be seen.
Come next weekend, when the 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians take to The Mall, the remaining frontline members of the royal family will proceed onto the balcony for the business of gracing the masses with their presence.
There will be the Wales family, complete with their three children; Edward and Sophie, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, their teenagers; and the seven other card-carrying HRHs.
But not only will the Sussexes not be a part of the day in any way, shape or form but neither will their little ones Prince Archie, four, and two-year-old Princess Lilibet.
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