Harry and Meghan Appear to Be Patching Things Up With the Royals
It’s not every day that you celebrate seven decades on the throne, which is perhaps why Queen Elizabeth is reportedly inviting two of the more estranged members of the royals’ inner circle to join her at the culmination of the Platinum Jubilee. According to the Daily Mail, the monarch—who turns 96 later this week—has requested that her grandson, Prince Harry, and his wife, Meghan Markle, come back home to Buckingham Palace for an appearance on the storied balcony with the rest of the family, as well as a “service of thanksgiving,” in June.
The visit would mark the trio’s second reunion in less than two months after a two-year separation due to lockdown, the former royals’ move to Los Angeles, and, well, their falling out with the British monarchy in general. Turns out, Harry and Meghan paid a surprise visit to the Queen in the U.K. while on their way to the Netherlands for the Invictus Games. “It was great to see her,” Harry told the BBC. “I’m sure she would love to be here if she could.” (The monarch’s public appearances have been few and far between as of late; at a recent event, which she attended using a walking stick, she reportedly told a guest, “as you can see, I can’t move.”)
Still, there’s only so much the Queen can do to make sure her grandson and granddaughter-in-law feel included. While Harry and Meghan are permitted to attend events alongside current members of the royal family, the Telegraph reports that as non-working members of “the Firm,” they are unable to take part in the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony, nor play a “central role” in the many related events.
Harry and Meghan have been careful to avoid any criticism of the Queen since stepping down as full-time royals. The same can’t be said for the rest of the royal family. (See: their allegations of racism and failure to act when Meghan was on the verge of suicide.) Harry certainly didn’t paint Prince Charles as a great dad in the pair’s infamous interview with Oprah Winfrey, but it appears that the future king may be willing to forgive and forget after all: He was right by the Queen’s side when the pair dropped by last week. And if a royal source who spoke with Entertainment Tonight is to be believed, Harry may even eventually make amends with his brother, Prince William. He reportedly has suggested a meetup with the help of a mediator.
