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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been reunited at last with the Queen, Prince Charles, Camilla, Prince William and Kate Middleton – in wax.
Figures of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were separated from their family at Madame Tussauds in London in January 2020 after they decided to step back from their royal duties.
Now, to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the couple have temporarily been brought back into the fold.
Their figures will remain next to the other royal waxworks until the end of the jubilee celebrations early next month.
Harry and Meghan, as well as Charles, Camilla and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, have also been given a makeover to mark the occasion.
It comes after they announced they would be coming to the UK to join in the celebrations next weekend.
They made the vow shortly after that the Queen’s spokesman said they would not have a place on the balcony at Buckingham Palace during Trooping the Colour because they are no longer working royals.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s made a fleeting visit to the UK in April to see the Queen in April when on their way to the Invictus Games in the Netherlands.
Before that, Harry had last visited in July 2021, whilst Meghan had not been in the country since 2020.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been reunited at last with the Queen, Prince Charles, Camilla, Prince William and Kate Middleton – in wax
Figures of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were separated from their family at Madame Tussauds in January 2020 the day after they decided to step back from their royal duties. Above: The image of the royals, including the late Duke of Edinburgh, after the removal of Harry and Meghan
Their figures will remain next to the other royal waxworks until the end of the jubilee celebrations early next month. Above: The figures on the royal set at Madame Tussauds
Prince Harry is believed to have had a strained relationship with his brother in recent years, amid the fallout from his and Meghan’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey last year.
The pair last came together in public in July last year to unveil a statue of their mother Princess Diana at Kensington Palace’s Sunken Garden.
Visitors to Madame Tussauds will now see Charles and his sons in smart black tie, whilst Kate’s midnight blue dress has been replaced with a sparkling emerald Jenny Packham gown that she has worn twice at previous royal functions.
Meghan is seen dazzling in a red caped Safiyaa gown that she wore on one of her last engagements, at the Mountbatten Festival of Music at the Royal Albert Hall in March 2020.
As before, Her Majesty is dressed in a recreation of the white and silver lace dress that she wore for official photographs that were taken to mark her Diamond Jubilee.
The dress is covered in 53,000 Swarovski elements and is complete with a blue silk sash adorned with the Garter Badge.
Now, to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the couple have temporarily been brought back into the fold. Their figures will remain next to the other royal waxworks until the end of the jubilee celebrations early next month
Harry and Meghan, as well as Charles, Camilla and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, have also been given a makeover to mark the occasion. Kate’s midnight blue dress has been replaced with a sparkling emerald Jenny Packham gown that she has worn twice at previous royal functions. William is now seen wearing black tie. Above: Artist Zoe Long puts finishing touches to the figure of Kate
Her Majesty’s figure – the 23rd of the 24 created by Madame Tussauds during her reign – is topped by a replica of the diamond and pearl George IV State Diadem.
The Duchess of Cornwall is now dressed in a powder blue ball gown.
Tim Waters, general manager at Madame Tussauds London, said: ‘With Harry and Meghan returning to the UK to celebrate Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee it felt only right that our figures come together once more on our Royal Throne Room set to join in the family festivities.
‘Our much-loved Royal Family figures have also been given an elegant new look ahead of the much-anticipated celebrations, decked out in their black tie finery to mark this once in a lifetime occasion.
‘At Madame Tussauds London we have a long history with The Royal Family, with British monarchs doing us the honour of sitting for our artists since 1809.
‘We’re so proud this has continued into the 20th century and we continue celebrating major milestones for Her Majesty The Queen.’
Their figures will remain next to the other royal waxworks until the end of the jubilee celebrations early next month. Above: The figures on the royal set at Madame Tussauds
Studio artists Luisa Compobassi (left) and Jo Kinsey (right) make their final touches to the wax figure of Queen Elizabeth II at Madame Tussauds
Studio artists Luisa Compobassi (left), Caryn Mitanni (back) and Jo Kinsey (right) work on the wax figure of the Queen, as Charles and Camilla’s figures stand either side
Madame Tussauds London’s artist, Zoe Long, puts the finishing touches to HRH The Prince of Wales’ figure. The Royal Family’s figures have been given a black tie makeover as part of the attraction’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations
As before, Her Majesty is dressed in a recreation of the white and silver lace dress that she wore for official photographs that were taken to mark her Diamond Jubilee. The dress is covered in 53,000 Swarovski elements and is complete with a blue silk sash adorned with the Garter Badge. The Duchess of Cornwall is now seen in a powder blue ball gown
Meghan is seen dazzling in a red caped Safiyaa gown that she wore on one of her last enagements, at the Mountbatten Festival of Music at the Royal Albert Hall in March 2020. Madame Tussauds London’s artist, Zoe Long, puts the finishing touches to HRH The Prince of Wales’ figure
The Duchess of Cambridge’s figure dazzles with a pair of earrings to accompany her sparkling emerald Jenny Packham gown
It comes after a royal expert claimed that the presence of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex could ‘destablise’ the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and cause resentment among other members of the Royal Family.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will receive widespread publicity when they arrive in the UK with their children Archie, three, and Lilibet, who turns one over the Platinum Jubilee weekend.
But Palace aides will do all they can to prevent a Sussex ‘sideshow’ overshadowing the Queen, 96, and the official celebrations, explained Camilla Tominey of the Daily Telegraph.
The attention the Sussexes receive could also cause resentment among members of the family like Sophie Wessex and Princess Anne who work ‘day in, day out’ but could be overlooked by the press and public.
Until early 2020, Harry and Meghan previously stood next to the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, with Kate Middleton and Prince William on the other side
‘You can include the Sussexes but you don’t want there to be some sort of Harry and Meghan sideshow going on when the main event must be the Queen,’ Tominey explained.
‘The Palace has a degree of control over Harry and Meghan while they’re in the confines of Buckingham Palace and the confines of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations official, but there’s nothing to stop them freelancing and doing their own thing while they’re in the UK.
‘Of course, if they’re going to be seen out and about with their children, it’s going to generate publicity.’
She continued: ‘Equally, there will be other members of the Royal Family who are doing the daily grind who will resent being overshadowed by Harry and Meghan, even if they don’t admit it.
‘You’re not going to want to have the likes of Princess Anne and the Earl and Countess of Wessex, for instance, who, day in day out, plant trees, unveil plaques and go to the opening of royal envelopes, only to have the media focus completely on Harry and Meghan who aren’t playing a role at all in the so-called family Firm.’
The Sussexes will not join other senior royals on the Buckingham Palace balcony because the invitation was only extended to working members of the Royal Family.
It also means that Prince Andrew and his daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie will also not be in attendance.
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