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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Zoe Forsey & Jennifer Newton

Uneasy Harry should have put on happy face like Meghan Markle to respect Queen, says expert

Prince Harry looked ill at ease while in the UK for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee and should have put on a happy face like wife Meghan Markle, an expert has said.

The couple came to the UK from their home in California for the bumper bank holiday weekend last week with their children Archie and Lilibet.

They were only spotted at two events - Trooping the Colour and a thanksgiving service at St Paul's Cathedral - while their kids were not seen in public at all.

This meant they missed out on the Platinum Party at the Palace last Saturday and the Jubilee Pageant on Sunday - which nearly every royal attended.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at leave St Paul's Cathedral last week (Getty Images)

And according to royal expert Ingrid Seward, Harry did not seem happy to be back in the UK with his family for the celebrations - which could explain their early exit back to California, before the festivities were even over.

She told the Mirror: "The first public glimpse of Meghan was behind the scenes at Trooping the Colour in the Major General’s office where the children and their parents have an unprecedented view to watch the ceremony.

"Meghan could be glimpsed in the background sweetly putting her manicured figure to her lips shushing the overexcited younger children including the lively daughters of Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall.

Harry attended Trooping the Colour and the service at St Paul's (Getty Images)

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"There was hardly a glimpse of Harry in the darkened room but he can’t have felt very happy watching a military parade of which he should have played an important part.

"He appeared ill at ease at both the Trooping and at the Service of Thanksgiving. He should have put on a happy face as Meghan managed to do for the sake of loyalty to his grandmother.

"Harry is ill at ease in his homeland proven by the speed at which the Sussex family exited on Sunday having flown over 10 thousand miles round trip for a five-day visit.

The couple left before the celebrations had ended (Getty Images)

"Meghan would argue it was easier to keep the children on Californian time (eight hours ahead).

"Many people wish they had kept themselves in California instead of burning tons of carbon emissions during their travels on two private jets.

"But it was the Queen’s weekend and she wanted her family around her. However well or badly they had behaved in the past.

"In the bible Jubilee means restoration and as a woman of deep Christian faith that is what the Queen wanted."

However, Ingrid does point out at Harry and Meghan's low-key appearances at the Jubilee showed they did keep their promise not to steal the limelight from the monarch.

She added: "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex finally kept their promise. They had agreed not to steal the spotlight from the Queen over the Jubilee weekend and despite their high profile, they did not.

Meghan often talks about "boundaries", "privacy" and "respect". She appears to have finally conceded that this does not only apply to her and her children, but to her husband’s family too.

"Lilibet finally got to meet her great grandmother, in private. No photographs were allowed so Harry and Meghan released a cute photograph of Lilibet for her first birthday instead."

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