‘Harry and Meghan are no longer stars’: Royal experts say after Sussexes left Jubilee early

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee early because the Royal Family has ‘moved on’ without them and the couple are not the stars that they think they are, experts told MailOnline today.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will have been ‘really fed up’ at being sidelined by the palace’s ‘men in suits’ they have been so scathing about since quitting in 2020, it has been claimed.

And as they were met with some booing at their only public appearance at St Paul’s on Friday, the couple will have learned that the British public believe being a royal is ‘about service, not about self’, one critic said. Another told MailOnline: ‘Their attitude seems to be if we’re not centre stage we don’t really want to be here’.

Harry looked particularly glum as they landed back in California yesterday – with royal experts saying the sixth in line to the throne appeared angry, anxious and very uncomfortable during ‘fleeting glimpses’ of him and his wife during the UK visit. On Thursday they were relegated to the Major General’s Office with minor royals for the Trooping the Colour, where they were photographed playfully shushing children. Their children Archie, three, and Lilibet, one, were not seen in public at all.

Investigative journalist Tom Bower, who is working on a biography of Meghan, told MailOnline that the Sussexes had been ‘trounced’ on their return to the UK.

He said: ‘I think Palace officials were unusually skilful in managing the Sussexes. Just enough exposure to please the Queen but at the same time so limited to show them that they have been sidelined. Harry’s grim expression exposed and confirmed the troubles he now faces. Meghan now faces problems about her status. Netflix are left with a problem: The Sussexes are no longer stars’.

Harry’s biographer Angela Levin said the couple were probably kept apart from Prince Charles and Prince William because of their ongoing rift and fears any private conversations could end up in Harry’s memoirs or on a US TV chat show.

She said: ‘I do wonder if they [Harry and Meghan] decided: “We’ve had enough of this, let’s go early”. I think they were furious. I think they believed they would come back and be welcomed with open arms – but the truth is that the world, and the Royal Family, has moved on without them. They thought that everyone would drop everything for them, but they didn’t’.

She added: ‘When Harry arrived at St Paul’s, he had a growling face. It was there throughout. They were really really fed up. William and Charles have grown closer – they have filled the gap left by Harry, that must be hard for him. I suspect his brother and father will have been worried about speaking to him in private in case it ends up in his memoirs or on US TV’.

Harry, Meghan and their children reportedly flew out of Farnborough Airport, west of London, at 1.30pm yesterday, an hour before the Jubilee Pageant started in central London. It marked the end of their Jubilee, where they were left without any official role having quit as frontline royals in 2020.

Royal author Phil Dampier told MailOnline: ‘Their attitude seems to be if we’re not centre stage we don’t really want to be here.

‘They must realise they are no longer popular with the general public, and travelling in and out by private jet hardly helps their so-called green credentials.

‘I’m afraid that all the time Harry is writing a book and making Netflix fly on the wall programmes, Charles and William will not trust him. They would worry that any in depth conversations would be repeated in the media, and so I’m sure they are keeping him at arms length for the time’.

And after the Sussexes were met with some boos at St Paul’s on Friday, commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said: ‘This was about the Queen and the future of the monarchy, which they opted out of as senior working royals. Yet they owe their entire profile and contracts to the institution. This fabulous four days showed now strong it is and also how wrong they were to do the interview on Oprah, which caused it to lose support among the young and ethnic minorities and aired when Prince Philip was ill.

‘The Sussexes should have learnt a lesson over the last few days. When it actually comes to capturing hearts and minds it is about service, not about self’.

At lunchtime yesterday the Montecito-based couple were reportedly driven from Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, where they were staying since arriving in the UK on Wednesday. 

And they were already crossing the Atlantic as Harry’s grandmother, father, brother and nieces and nephews waved to the adoring crowds from the balcony at Buckingham Palace at the denouement of four days of wonderful celebrations marking the Queen’s 70 years on the throne.

After they left an estimated 18million people also took part in Jubilee street parties yesterday, one of which was attended by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in west London.

The Sussexes, who have been largely absent from the Jubilee fanfare, were last seen in public on Friday at the Thanksgiving service at St Paul’s Cathedral, where they were booed and cheered as they arrived and left.

On Thursday they were relegated to the Major General’s Office with minor royals for the Trooping the Colour, where they were photographed playfully shushing children. Archie and Lilibet were not seen in public at all.

Instead they spent most of their stay at Frogmore Cottage with their children and hosted a ‘relaxed’ party for Lilibet’s first birthday at the Windsor residence, believed to be attended by the one-year-old’s British cousins.

The Sussexes arrived back in California at 6pm on Sunday. Equipment that appeared to be a high chair was seen being offloaded from the plane. Harry was then photographed in the passenger seat of a black Range Rover that had arrived to transport the family home, and looked very serious after almost five days away from the US.

The Duke and Duchess did not attend the Platinum Party and stayed in Windsor alongside the Queen to reportedly watch the concert with Her Majesty.

Harry and Meghan then drove, according to The Sun, to Farnborough Airport at 1.30pm, an hour before the Pageant started at 2.30pm and made their way back to California.

This was hours before the Queen – who sources say was ‘determined’ to bravely overcame her painful mobility issues – returned to Buckingham Palace to personally thank the thousands of well-wishers in the crowd who had turned out to express their own gratitude. 

She was flanked by her three heirs – son, Prince Charles, grandson, Prince William, and great-grandson, Prince George – offering a glimpse into the monarchy’s future.

The Platinum Jubilee Pageant was an afternoon of entertainment for members of the royal family, who all sat together alongside their siblings and cousins.

The parade told the story of her life, and the nation, with an eccentric, fun and imaginative carnival-like display.

Instead of attending this and a concert yesterday, Harry and Meghan celebrated their daughter Lilibet’s first birthday in Windsor on Saturday with a ‘relaxed’ birthday party —with royal second cousins invited to the festivities.

The little girl’s birthday party was open to Zara and Mike Tindall’s three children, Mia, eight, Lena, three, and Lucas, one, as well as Savannah, 11, and Isla, 10, daughters of Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly.

The couple were also seen at the Friday’s thanksgiving service at St Paul’s Cathedral, where a huge cheer went up as Harry and Meghan arrived and they were greeted at the great west door by the Dean of St Paul’s.

It was the first time that the couple were on full public view alongside the Windsors since they quit the monarchy for a new life in the US two years ago.

They spent a few minutes talking to the senior cleric before they entered the place of worship and proceeded to greet the long line of clergy.

But before the festivities started an aide told The Telegraph: ‘The media might try to make them prominent, but in reality they are not going to be playing a prominent role. A line has been drawn.’

Harry stopped to chat for a few moments with the Archbishop of York who later will give the sermon and is expected to praise the Queen’s 70-year reign.

The Sussexes were also seen from a window at Thursday’s Trooping the Colour, but were not on the balcony alongside working royals.

Neither Lilibet, nor her older brother three-year-old Archie, have been seen in public at any of the festivities.

An emotional Queen said she remains ‘committed to serving’ the nation to ‘the best of my ability’ after she concluded her Platinum Jubilee celebrations by greeting crowds of adoring fans on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. 

The 96-year-old monarch was absent for much of the extended Bank Holiday weekend, after finding the first day enjoyable but tiring, and in a message of thanks acknowledged this but said her ‘heart’ had been with well-wishers. 

The Duchess of Cornwall, patron of the Big Lunch, estimated that up to 18 million people could have taken part in Jubilee street parties, and the Queen expressed her hope this ‘renewed sense of togetherness’ would be felt for years to come. 

After the outpouring of public affection during her balcony appearance, the Queen said she was ‘humbled and deeply touched’ so many people had taken part in celebrations marking her 70-year reign. 

Surrounded by her family, including Prince Charles, Camilla, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, George, Charlotte and Louis, she was cheered by thousands of well-wishers after stepping on to the balcony following the Platinum Pageant, which told the story of her life, and the nation, with an eccentric, fun and imaginative carnival-like display. 

Smiling as she acknowledged the spectators, she looked down on The Mall where tens of thousands had waited in hope of seeing her. 

The Queen said later in her message: ‘When it comes to how to mark seventy years as your Queen, there is no guidebook to follow. It really is a first. But I have been humbled and deeply touched that so many people have taken to the streets to celebrate my Platinum Jubilee. 

‘While I may not have attended every event in person, my heart has been with you all; and I remain committed to serving you to the best of my ability, supported by my family. 

‘I have been inspired by the kindness, joy and kinship that has been so evident in recent days, and I hope this renewed sense of togetherness will be felt for many years to come. 

‘I thank you most sincerely for your good wishes and for the part you have all played in these happy celebrations.’ 

 

The Queen had not been seen since she made two balcony appearances on the first day of the Jubilee celebrations, when Trooping the Colour was held, and the Duchess of Cambridge later said she had found the day enjoyable but tiring. 

But the Queen looked at ease on the balcony as the celebrations drew to a close, leaning on a walking stick, now a routine aid following her mobility issues, and acknowledging the crowds with a wave. 

The Prince of Wales stood with the Queen along with the Duchess of Cornwall, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. 

After the national anthem was sung by a choir of celebrities including Sir David Jason, Harry Redknapp, Sir Cliff Richard, Sandie Shaw and Felicity Kendal, the Queen waved again at well-wishers and was joined by her great-grandchildren, with Louis waving with both hands. 

The royal family had planned to see a display by the Red Arrows from their balcony vantage point, but it was called off due to the low clouds which had threatened rain all day. 

Earlier in the day Charles had expressed the same sentiment as the Queen when he spoke about the camaraderie the Jubilee events had fostered. 

He told revellers at The Big Lunch’s flagship event in London, which he attended with Camilla, that he hoped ‘bickering’ did not return after the feeling of ‘togetherness’ across the nation.

Princess Eugenie described the Jubilee Pageant as ‘incredible’, writing on her Instagram: ‘The Platinum Jubilee Pageant was just incredible. To all the people that took part, organised it, made it flawless for us all watching, Thank you. You made us all so proud.’

A post on the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s Twitter account read: ‘Amazing display of street art, theatre, music, sport and more… What a joyous occasion at the #PlatinumJubile pageant!’

President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated the monarch, saying he was ‘grateful [to Britain] for supporting Ukraine in the fight for our freedom and independence’. 

It comes after she stepped out onto the Buckingham Palace balcony for nearly three minutes, in her first public appearance since Platinum Jubilee celebrations began on Thursday.

The monarch, 96, was greeted by roars from thousands of spectators gathered on The Mall as Britain’s longest-serving head of state was helped onto the balcony by Prince Charles, Camilla, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, George, Charlotte and Louis.

The royals then joined the crowd in a spine-tingling chorus of God Save The Queen shortly after 5pm, bringing the the Jubilee celebrations to a close.

Her Majesty, dressed in green, was missing from the royal box but arrived at the Palace from Windsor Castle at around 4.30pm, when the royal standard was raised. She was last seen four days ago after pulling out of two Jubilee events amid growing concerns for her health.

Pomp and pageantry kicked off the final day of Jubilee celebrations celebrating the Queen’s astonishing 70-year reign as a hologram of the young monarch waving at royal fans and a ceremonial military procession launched the 2½-hour pageant.

Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, their children George, Charlotte and Louis, Princess Anne, and Zara and Mike Tindall are all seated in the royal box alongside Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie, Keir Starmer and Sadiq Khan to watch the two-mile procession through central London.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who are visiting the UK together for the first time since they acrimoniously quit royal duties, were absent for a second day running. Yesterday they celebrated their daughter Lilibet’s 1st birthday, and introduced the child to her namesake.

The pageant was split into four acts: For Queen and Country with a military parade; The Time of Our Lives progressing through seven decades of culture, music and fashion; Let’s Celebrate telling the story of the Queen’s life in 12 chapters with corgi puppets and carnival creations; and the Happy and Glorious musical spectacle.

Close to 200 national treasures including Sir David Jason, Harry Redknapp, Sandie Shaw, Felicity Kendal, Joe Wicks and Holly Willoughby joined pop sensation Ed Sheeran in a mass rendition of God Save The Queen outside Buckingham Palace at the end of the pageant.

Guardsmen, Gurkhas, Royal Marines and the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment in their breastplates and plumed feathers were among the hundreds of servicemen and women who led the way marching along the streets around Buckingham Palace.

Charles took the salute of various military units when they passed the royal box and he stood to acknowledge the servicemen and women as they passed. 

Some 10,000 people including a cast of 6,000 performers are involved in staging the carnival route from Horse Guards, along Whitehall to Admiralty Arch and down The Mall to Buckingham Palace, echoing Her Majesty’s 1953 coronation procession.

British eccentricity was soon to the fore when the cyclists on a menagerie of bikes rode past Buckingham Palace, including a biker dressed as the character Elliot from the sci-fi Movie ET, complete with the Extra Terrestrial in the cycle’s basket.

As the decades flashed by revellers in period 1940s clothes danced the Lambeth Walk and further down The Mall jiving performers represented the 1950s.

Interspersed were iconic vehicles from Morris Minors, rockers on classic motorbikes and Mods on scooters, while the national treasures – celebrities from across the years including Katherine Jenkins, Bonnie Langford, Alan Titchmarsh, Basil Brush, Kate Garraway and RuPaul’s Drag Race stars Baga Chipz and Blu Hydrangea, and fashion royalty Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell – travelled on buses.

Sir Cliff Richard sang from the 1950s bus, former boxer Chris Eubank posed from the open top-deck of another, and TV presenter Johnny Ball joked on the BBC about the experience on the 1970s bus: ‘It’s all right, but I’m worried I haven’t paid my fare’.

A peloton of 300 cyclists travelled down The Mall led by Sir Chris Hoy and cycling golden couple Dame Laura and Sir Jason Kenny. 

The Queen’s three-minute appearance on the balcony delighted the crowd who were not sure whether she would be there.

It came after Ed Sheeran took to the stage to play his hit song Perfect, against a moving back-drop of a montage of video clips of the Queen throughout the years.

Paula and Patrick Queenan, from Radlett in Hertfordshire, said the Queen and the royal family coming out on to the balcony was the best part of the Jubilee celebrations.

Mrs Queenan, 57, said: ‘Seeing the Queen come out on the balcony was amazing.

‘We didn’t know if she’d come or not. This was the first day that I’ve been here and this was the real highlight.’

Mr Queenan, 58, added: ‘I came for the fly past on Thursday and the atmosphere was fantastic.

‘Our daughter and her fiance came down from Sheffield today. They’re both doctors and so they’re going to head back now and they’re on duty tonight.

‘We had a street party on Friday, the whole street came to ours and sang the national anthem. Seeing the Queen has been the best bit of this week.’

 

 

Charles spoke about the camaraderie the Jubilee celebrations have fostered, telling revellers at The Big Lunch’s flagship event in London he hoped ‘bickering’ does not return after the feeling of ‘togetherness’ across the nation.

Sadiq Khan hailed the Queen’s Jubilee Pageant as ‘spectacular’ as celebrations draw to a close.

The Mayor of London tweeted: ‘Wasn’t that spectacular?’

‘It was moving to see so many of London’s performers, service people, key workers and school children involved in today’s #PlatinumJubilee Pageant to tell the story of the Queen’s historic 70-year reign.’

His sentiment was echoed by Pageant Master Adrian Evans, who has spent 18 months planning the £15 million event, featuring some 10,000 people including a cast of 6,000 performers.

Mr Evans told BBC News: ‘I hope at the end of the day people will feel a great sense of pride in what they’ve seen, enjoyment in what they’ve seen, humour and joy is an important part of what we’re doing today but also connected, that we are much more connected then we think we are.’

He told Sky News: ‘What I wanted to do first and foremost was provide an opportunity for people to express themselves in their own wonderful, idiosyncratic, quirky way and that to the iconic streets around Buckingham Palace.’

Close to 200 national treasures will take to the stage to serenade the Queen, if she makes an appearance, by singing the national anthem at the grand finale of the Platinum Jubilee festivities.