Buckingham Palace on Friday answered the biggest remaining questions about Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations: 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 centrepiece moment of many royal celebrations, with the Royal Family smiling and waving to loyal subjects and millions of fans watching on television around the world. But the build up to the ceremonies marking Elizabeth's 70 years on the throne have been dogged by questions about whether Andrew, Harry and Meghan would attend amid public scandals and family tensions.
The decision comes amid a debate over Andrew's status after he reached a multi-million pound settlement with a woman who accused him of sexual exploitation. Andrew stepped away from royal duties and was stripped of his honourary military titles amid the scandal caused by the allegations and his links to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Still, Britain's media has been awash with reports that Andrew wanted a public role in the Jubilee after he settled the lawsuit.
While Andrew and the Sussexes won't join the queen on the balcony, as members of the Royal Family they would be free to attend other events, a palace source said, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with palace policies.