Meghan Markle may not attend her first major royal event since the birth of her first son with Prince Harry, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.
The royal family is scheduled to make their annual appearance at Trooping the Colour, which takes place on June 8 in London. NBC4 Columbus reported that if Markle did indeed appear at the annual event, it would be her first public appearance since she introduced her adorable son to the world with Prince Harry at Windsor Castle in May.
It was reported by the news outlet that Markle’s sister-in-law Kate Middleton appeared at Trooping the Colour just one month after the birth of her third child, Prince Louis. She is also a mother to Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
Town & Country Magazine reported that Trooping the Colour is an annual birthday parade for Queen Elizabeth. The publication noted that the parade originated in 1748 when King George II combined the annual summer military march with his birthday celebration. Although the king was born in October, it has been decreed since that time, the reigning monarch has the option of having an official birthday in the summertime.
Queen Elizabeth’s official birthday is April 21.
When the parade originated, various regiments would show off their flags, so all the troops would recognize their banners during battle. The presentation remains the same to this day.
Markle may very well attend the event, but details of her participation, which includes standing on the balcony of Kensington Palace for an official photo op, have thus far not been revealed. The former Suits star has been attempting to carve her own space within the confines of the royal family’s strict set of rules and has not been forthcoming with personal information regarding her duties within the clan, so her appearance is still under wraps.
The separation between Markle’s ideas and those of her new family began when the ex-American actress and her then-fiance Prince Harry created a wedding for the ages with a merge of her African American heritage and his British lineage, a ceremony that turned the heads of the clan, which has until this day been primarily white Anglo-Saxon. Then, the couple began a year of philanthropic work, concentrating on issues that dealt with mental health issues, women’s rights, and the rights of children and animals, setting themselves apart further from the family with their progressive ideals.
After revealing the news they were expecting their first child, the couple kept details surrounding Markle’s pregnancy and subsequent birth close to their chest. It was not revealed the exact due date of Markle’s pregnancy, nor where the birth would take place as rumors abounded that she would have a home birth.
It was also noted that the couple would not participate in what is now a royal tradition of presenting their child to the world hours after their birth. Markle and Harry waited two days to bond with their child before showing him off to a select few photographers and interviewers.
It is likely that Markle will attend the royal event only to put on a good “face” with the clan as well as honoring Queen Elizabeth. If she does not attend Trooping the Colour, it will likely be seen by the press as a snub after a year of publicity that has been more unfavorable toward her than not. Markle may be pressured by the palace to show up, even briefly, in support of her new family.