As we have heard ad nauseam over the past three weeks, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are not “allowed” on the fakakta balcony for Trooping the Colour, which will happen on June 2nd (next Thursday). Nevermind the fact that timing of the announcements made it clear that Harry and Meghan were totally fine with skipping the crusty porch, and nevermind the fact that Harry reportedly told the Queen that he and Meghan didn’t even want to be on the balcony in the first place. Still, the royals want to deploy the Sussexes somehow, in some way. Which is why Harry and Meghan are invited to the June 3rd service at St. Paul’s Cathedral. Apparently, the Sussexes are now confirmed for that.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will join the biggest Royal family reunion since their wedding next week as the Queen’s relatives gather to celebrate her reign at St Paul’s Cathedral. All of the monarch’s cousins, children and grandchildren are expected to attend the Platinum Jubilee service of thanksgiving for what will be the biggest royal outing of the bank holiday weekend, although the youngest family members will not take part.

Some of her older great-grandchildren such as Prince George, aged eight, Princess Charlotte, seven, and Mia Tindall, also eight, may attend, although their involvement is not yet confirmed. The most recent additions to the family, including the Sussexes’ son Archie, three, and daughter Lilibet, who turns one next Saturday, are thought unlikely to be present.

The service will take place on Friday June 3, bringing the monarch’s nearest and dearest together. The last time the Duke and Duchess, who are due to fly over from California with their children next week, were surrounded by so many members of the Royal family was when they married at Windsor Castle in May 2018. The Duke of York will also be among the congregants in what is expected to be his sole appearance of the festivities. The Queen’s relatives will attend as family members, meaning the Sussexes and Prince Andrew, who are no longer working members of the Royal family, will attend in a private capacity.

The monarch’s participation is unlikely to be confirmed until the day, but it is said to be one of the jubilee events she is particularly keen to attend. The service will be the only public event of the four-day celebration for which she will be surrounded by all four of her children – the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, Prince Andrew and the Earl of Wessex.

[From The Telegraph]

The Telegraph also talks about how the Queen will be unable to walk up the steps into the Cathedral and people are trying to make arrangements for her to “make her way in through a side entrance without being photographed if necessary.” The whole shebang will start at 11 am, meaning that’s when the arrivals begin. Everybody is expected to come out for this, all of the Queen’s children, grandchildren, cousins and distant relations. Princess Margaret’s (grown, adult) children will be there too. It will be a lot like the service of thanksgiving for Prince Philip, I think, only probably fewer foreign monarchs visiting for the day.

So, prepare yourselves. We’re going to be inundated with stories about how William and Kate plan to “snub” Meghan and Harry at the service, or how Meghan has to sit in the back, or how “emotional” Harry argued with his father about the order of arrivals or some such nonsense. Y’all know it’s coming. Some poor palace aide is running to the Daily Mail as I write this, crying about how Harry and Meghan “blind-sided the Queen” with their demands!

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.