Prince Harry and his wife Meghan attend a church service with other members of Britain’s royal family on Friday 70 years on the throne of Queen Elizabeth II, He is making his first public appearance in Britain since stepping down from royal duties two years ago.
The Queen skipped an event at St Paul’s Cathedral in London on the second day of four days of celebrations for her Platinum Jubilee. The 96-year-old monarch has had difficulty walking in recent months and experienced “some discomfort” as supporters smiled and waved from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on Thursday afternoon.
But royal audiences quickly turned their attention to Harry and Meghan, who held hands as they walked down the long central aisle with only a military officer in red attire. Underlining their lesser roles as non-working members of the royal family, other guests bowed their necks as the couple took their places in the second row.
Prince Charles, representing the Queen, and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, had special chairs in the front row on the other side of the central aisle. Next to him sat Prince William and his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge.
Harry and Meghan caused tension within the royal family when they moved to California and signed lucrative media contracts. The rift deepened after he accused the royal family of racism and bullying. But they went back to Britain for the jubilee celebrations, taking their son, Archie, and daughter, Lilibet, who had never met their great-grandmother the Queen.
“This, again, is Elizabeth II trying to put on a united front, her family for the last time, perhaps, during her reign, so that … she is at least publicly handed over to the next monarch. Do your best to connect and unify the divisions that have opened up within the family group over the years,” says Ed Owens, author of The Family Firm: Monarchy Mass Media and the British Public 1932–53 Said in an interview before Jayanti.
The day after Thanksgiving service celebrations began with a spectacular military parade known as the Trooping the Colour, an event that has marked the sovereign’s official birthday for nearly 260 years.
Following the event, thousands of royal supporters cheered wildly as Elizabeth joined other senior royals on the palace balcony and 70 military planes saluted.
The Queen stubbornly appeared outside her home at Windsor Castle later in the evening for the final moments of an international beacon lighting ceremony. Proceeding slowly and with some difficulty, he pressed a lighted globe so that a river of light began to flow towards Buckingham Palace, where a statue of living trees was lit.
Although the palace said she had enjoyed the festivities, the Queen apparently decided that another trip from Windsor to London on Friday might be a bit much. Prince Charles again stood up for his mother at church service, as he has often done of late.
But the queen was still part of the service as participants assumed she was watching on television.
The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, spoke directly to him in his sermon about his love for horse racing.
“I’m afraid I don’t have any great suggestions for the Derby tomorrow, but since the scriptures describe life before us as a race, I should see that your long reign is the distance of the entry rather than the sprint of Epsom. Hints,” he joked. “But with patience, in times of change and challenge, through joy and sorrow, you continue to offer yourself to the service of our country and the Commonwealth.”
“Your Majesty, we are sorry that you are not with us this morning, but we are very glad that you are still in the saddle,” he said. “And we’re all glad there’s more to come.”