The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will visit Wales during the extended Bank Holiday Jubilee weekend, Buckingham Palace has announced.
William and Kate are among senior royals who will tour the UK as the nation marks the Queen’s 70-year reign with a series of events.
The Earl and Countess of Wessex will visit Northern Ireland and the Princess Royal will visit Scotland with all the members of the monarchy attending public events marking the Platinum Jubilee.
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall are likely to be in the capital attending events over the four-day weekend in June and it is not know which engagements the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will participate in.
Harry and Meghan confirmed on Friday, also their son Archie’s third birthday, that they were “excited and honoured” to attend the commemorations for the monarch’s milestone in June with their eldest child and his sister Lilibet.
William and Kate are among senior royals who will tour the UK as the nation marks the Queen’s 70-year reign with a series of events.
Roland Hoskins
During her Diamond Jubilee celebrated in 2012 the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh made an extensive tour of the country over a three-month period.
Details have been released about some of the arrangements for the Platinum Jubilee with gathering of royals on the Buckingham Palace balcony, after the Trooping the Colour ceremony, limited to just working royals and with the Duke of York and Harry and Meghan omitted from the line-up.
The monarch’s decision to only include royals carrying out official public duties was taken “after careful consideration”, Buckingham Palace said.
The symbolic move is likely to be interpreted as a snub to the Sussexes, who quit the monarchy for a new life in the US two years ago, and to Andrew, who was cast out of the institution over his civil sexual assault case.
Harry and Meghan confirmed on Friday, also their son Archie’s third birthday, that they were “excited and honoured” to attend the commemorations for the monarch’s milestone.
Aaron Chown
On June 2, Trooping the Colour, the sovereign’s official birthday parade, will kick start the four days of Jubilee festivities, with 18 members of the royal family set to gather on the famous frontage, with the Queen “looking forward” to the weekend of celebrations.
A Palace spokesman said: “After careful consideration, the Queen has decided this year’s traditional Trooping the Colour balcony appearance on Thursday June 2 will be limited to Her Majesty and those members of the royal family who are currently undertaking official public duties on behalf of the Queen.”
There will be no ceremonial journey to the service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday June 3, and the 96-year-old monarch, who is facing mobility issues, will use a different entrance rather than scaling the steep steps.
The 18th century Gold State Coach will appear on the streets of London for the first time in 20 years when it leads the Jubilee Pageant procession on Sunday June 5.
Archive film footage of Elizabeth II on her Coronation Day will be shown on the remodelled windows to evoke the image of the young monarch travelling the coach.
With the Queen expected to appear on the balcony for Trooping, attend the church service and the Epsom Derby, decisions on her appearances across the weekend are not likely to be confirmed until the day.
A Palace spokesman said: “The Queen is looking forward to the weekend and will be taking part in the celebrations but her presence will not be confirmed until much nearer the time or even on the day itself.”
