The royal privilege Prince Harry and Meghan’s children Archie and Lilibet will miss out on during UK visit

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s children Archie and Lilibet are set to miss out on a major royal privilege this summer during the family’s UK visit.

• The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s children will miss out on a royal tradition during their visit for the Jubilee weekend.
• Archie and Lilibet have yet to appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony and sadly this year won’t see them get to make their debut. 
• This royal news (opens in new tab) comes as it was revealed the Queen was just given the most incredible present for her Jubilee (opens in new tab).

After months of speculation over whether or not Harry and Meghan would fly back from their new LA home (opens in new tab) to attend the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee (opens in new tab) celebrations, it was finally confirmed that not only would the couple be returning, but they’d be bringing their two children. Archie Mountbatten-Windsor (opens in new tab) hasn’t visited the UK since the family moved to the US after Harry and Meghan “stepped back” (opens in new tab) as senior members of The Firm (opens in new tab). Whilst his sister Lilibet was born last June and has yet to meet any of her royal relatives in person. 

Now that all looks set to change in light of the Sussexes’ decision to attend the Jubilee. But despite their return, there’s one royal privilege that Archie and Lilibet will miss out on this summer…

Unlike many of the Queen’s great-grandchildren (opens in new tab), neither Archie nor Lilibet have ever appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony at Trooping the Colour. Archie had only been born the month before the final Trooping the Colour (opens in new tab) parade attended by his parents and didn’t join them and Lilibet hasn’t visited the UK at all yet. 

Things were scaled back in the pandemic, prior to this the balcony appearance was a regular occurrence during Her Majesty’s official birthday celebrations. The Sussex kids’ cousins, Prince George, Charlotte and Louis, have all already made their balcony debut. 

Meanwhile, over the years Peter Phillips’ daughters Savannah and Isla have also been part of this traditional palace gathering. Appearing on the balcony for the first time at Trooping the Colour would be a huge moment for Archie and Lilibet, who fans have only seen a few glimpses of over the past year. 

But it seems they will have to wait a little longer to experience this exciting privilege. Buckingham Palace announced that the Queen has decided only royals currently undertaking official public duties on her behalf will be on the balcony in June. It’s thought that their children will also appear, meaning that the Cambridge kids could be there.

In contrast, Harry and Meghan are no longer working royals so they and Archie and Lilibet won’t be, delaying their chance to enjoy this royal milestone by at least another year. They won’t be the only ones to miss out as either as George, Charlotte and Louis are the only great-grandchildren whose parents are working royals.

There will no doubt be many fans hoping that Archie and Lilibet and the Queen's other great-grandchildren will be granted the privilege of appearing on the balcony in the future.