From a window overlooking Horse Guards Parade in central London, an energetic Meghan Markle appeared to playfully ‘shush’ a group of young royals as she made her first appearance at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
The Duchess of Sussex, 40, spoke with Savannah Philips, 11, and her sister Isla, 10, as well as Lena Tindall, three, and her older sister Mia, eight, as she joked that the girls should be quiet during the Trooping of the Colour, which was taking place in the parade square below them.
In a second snap, her husband, Prince Harry, 37, appeared to’shush’ the youngsters before the couple were seen talking to the Duke of Kent, who was clad in a scarlet military tunic studded with decorations.
After being deprived of his honorary titles as part of his Megxit pact with the Queen to step away from royal duties, Harry appeared to be dressed in a morning suit rather than the military uniforms his father, Prince Charles, and brother, Prince William, wore to the parade.
Meghan joined her husband and other royals, including the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duchess of Cornwall, at the Major General’s Office overlooking the Whitehall parade area to see the impressive military event.
The Sussexes’ attendance put an end to months of speculation about whether they would attend the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
While they were present with several royals at Horse Guards Parade, they were not present when the Queen, Prince Charles, the Cambridges, and their children watched the flypast from the Buckingham Palace balcony. Working royals and their families were not permitted to appear on the balcony.
The couple’s participation at the Jubilee marks their first official royal engagement in more than two years. They were anticipated to bring three-year-old Archie and Lilibet, who is almost one, to the public family reunion, but their children have yet to be seen.
Lilibet has never met the Queen or her royal relatives, and Archie hasn’t been to the UK since he was six months old, when his parents emigrated to Los Angeles to pursue their own businesses and a life outside the royal circle.
Meghan made her entrance after Princes George and Louis were seen peering out one of the windows overlooking Horse Guards Parade. They were accompanied by Princess Charlotte and their mother, Kate Middleton.
During the march, Louis was seen waving at Prince William and Prince Charles. Meanwhile, when the Cambridge children were watching Trooping the Colour, Princess Beatrice appeared to point something out to them.