As the British royal family celebrated King Charles III’s official birthday during this year’s Trooping the Colour, the notable absence of Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet—the young children of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle—sparked renewed discussion around the Sussex family’s distance from royal life.
Royal Parade Goes On Without Archie and Lilibet
Held annually in London, Trooping the Colour is a grand military tradition that commemorates the sovereign’s public birthday. Although King Charles’ actual birthday is in November, the parade has long been scheduled during the summer months for better weather and greater public participation. This year marked King Charles’ third Trooping since ascending the throne in 2022 following Queen Elizabeth II’s death.
While Prince William, Princess Kate, and their children—Prince George (11), Princess Charlotte (10), and Prince Louis (7)—stood proudly alongside other senior royals, Prince Archie (6) and Princess Lilibet (4) remained in California with their parents, absent once again from the royal tradition.
Sussexes’ Growing Distance from Royal Life
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle last attended Trooping the Colour together in 2018 and 2019, shortly after their marriage. However, baby Archie, born just weeks before the 2019 parade, was not part of the event. In 2020 and 2021, the pandemic forced scaled-back celebrations. During Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022, the couple returned but did not appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony as they were no longer working royals.
Following their decision to step back from royal duties and relocate to Montecito, California in 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been excluded from Trooping invitations—missing the 2023, 2024, and now the 2025 ceremonies. Royal protocol changed under King Charles, with balcony appearances reserved for working members of the royal family.
Harry Speaks Out on Security and Family Struggles
In a recent interview with the BBC, Prince Harry opened up about his strained ties with the royal family and his ongoing legal battle regarding the removal of his police protection in the UK. After losing his legal appeal, Harry admitted that it’s unlikely he’ll return to Britain with his family anytime soon.
“I can’t see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the U.K. at this point,” Harry said, expressing sorrow over his children missing out on their British heritage.
“The things that they’re going to miss is, well, everything,” he continued. “I love my country. I always have done. Despite what some people in that country have done.”
Harry also reflected on his desire for reconciliation with King Charles and Prince William, though he acknowledged the security dispute has severely strained communication.
“There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore,” he said. “Life is precious. I don’t know how much longer my father has. He won’t speak to me because of this security stuff. But it would be nice to reconcile.”
What’s Next for the Sussex Family?
While Prince Harry has made brief solo visits to the UK—most recently to attend court hearings and see his father after his cancer diagnosis—the rest of the Sussex family has remained in the U.S., absent from all royal public appearancesin recent years.
With Archie and Lilibet growing up far from their royal roots, fans and commentators continue to speculate whether the Sussex children will ever experience iconic British traditions like Trooping the Colour firsthand.
