The Queen Will Celebrate Her 96th Birthday ‘Privately’ at Philip’s Favorite Place—Here’s Where She’s Traveling

The June 2 reenactment of royal tradition “The Balcony Wave” will have some prominent cast members missing.

Buckingham Palace on Friday answered one of the biggest remaining questions about Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations: saying that Prince Andrew, Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, won’t be on the palace balcony when the monarch greets the public on June 2. The balcony appearance is a centerpiece moment of many royal celebrations, with the royal family smiling and waving to fans at home and millions watching on television around the world.

, this marked the pair's first joint trip to the U.K. since moving to California in 2020. Their daughter, who is , was born in June 2021 and, as far as we know, has yet to make a trip abroad.Back in February, Prince Harry's lawyers expressed that the duke did not traveling to the U.K.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are heading across the pond with their kids. The couple will attend Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June, a spokesperson for the pair confirmed to ET.What's more is they will be bringing their children, Archie and Lilibet, with them to the celebrations, marking the first time their daughter will meet the monarch since being born in Santa Barbara, California, last June. According to a source close to the royal family, the queen is delighted she will be meeting her great-granddaughter for the first time and excited to be able to spend time with Archie and Lili. ET understands Harry’s relatives are also looking forward to meeting the couple's infant daughter and seeing Archie, who is now a 3-year-old toddler. While ET has learned that it was the sovereign herself who invited Harry and Meghan to attend her celebrations, they will not be permitted to partake in the royal family's traditional balcony appearance at Buckingham Palace during the annual Trooping the Colour event.

Family matters. As the big celebration gets closer, fans are wondering: why did Queen Elizabeth ban Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from appearing on the Buckingham Palace balcony during her  Platinum Jubilee festivities? 

K.J. Yossman UPDATE: CNN’s royal correspondent Max Foster has said that Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex – and their children Lilibet and Archie – will attend the Queen’s jubilee.

Discussions have been ramping up recently about Prince William and Kate Middleton moving to be closer to the Queen on the Windsor Estate. Usually the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge split their family time between two beautiful homes, one in London and one in Norfolk.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge aren’t commenting on Prince Harry’s words.

Prince Philip, a refuge from the affairs of state.Elizabeth is expected to spend the day at the estate’s Wood Farm cottage, a personal sanctuary where she also spent her first Christmas since Philip’s death in April 2021. Philip loved the cottage, in part because it is close to the sea, she said in February when hosting a rare public event at Sandringham.“I think the queen’s approach to birthdays very much embodies her keep calm and carry on attitude," said Emily Nash, the royal editor at HELLO! magazine.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been invited to the Buckingham Palace balcony alongside the Royal Family during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, reports say.

Ahead of their appearance at the Invictus Games over the weekend, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle met with his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

After his recent reunion with Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Harry reflected on the “great” stop that was made prior to his appearance at the Invictus Games with Meghan Markle.

Prince Harry has given an insight into his and wife Meghan Markle's visit with the Queen, after jetting to the UK for a secret meeting with the Queen last week.The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were reported to have flown from California to the UK together for the first time since stepping down from their roles as senior royals in 2020. Harry, 37, and wife Meghan, 40, were said to have left onlookers stunned as they stopped by Windsor Castle on Thursday 14 April. A spokesperson for the couple confirmed to OK! the couple visited the Queen before flying to the Netherlands for their appearance at the Invictus Games over the weekend.

Prince William and his wife Kate have attended an Easter Sunday church service at Windsor Castle.Queen Elizabeth II, who has been experiencing mobility problems, did not attend the service at St. George’s Chapel on the castle grounds, a fixture in the royals’ calendar.William and Kate, also known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, were accompanied by two of their three children: Prince George, 8, and 6-year-old Princess Charlotte.Also in attendance were the queen's youngest son, Prince Edward, with his wife Sophie and their children, and Princess Eugenie, the daughter of Prince Andrew.The queen, who turns 96 on Thursday, is celebrating her Platinum Jubilee this year, marking 70 years on the throne.She cut back on public duties on her doctors’ orders since spending a night in hospital in October, and also had a bout of COVID-19 in February.

Game on! Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were all smiles as they attended the 2022 Invictus Games in the Netherlands.

Back on royal soil! Harry and Meghan visited the Queen during a pitstop in London on their way to the Invictus Games in the Netherlands, marking the first time the couple has reunited with the monarch since their royal exit two years ago.