Harry and Meghan aren't invited to appear on Buckingham Palace balcony during queen's Jubilee

Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan Markle, and Prince Harry
(Image credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will officially return to the U.K. to attend Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee, but they won't be joining her on the Buckingham Palace balcony.

Buckingham Palace said Friday the queen has decided that when she and other members of the royal family make an appearance on the palace balcony during the celebration of her 70th year on the throne, only those "who are currently undertaking official public duties" on her behalf will join her.

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Harry and Meghan recently visited the queen in the U.K., their first time doing so together since they dramatically stepped back from the royal family and leveled bombshell allegations against the palace. The visit was widely seen as an "olive branch."

Harry later told the Today show he was "making sure that she's protected." But he has said he doesn't feel safe bringing his kids to the U.K. due to his current security arrangements, and he previously said he wasn't sure if the family would attend the Jubilee celebrations for that reason.

A spokesperson for Harry and Meghan, though, told CNN on Friday they're "excited and honoured to attend" with their children.

Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.