What Were Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Doing During Trooping the Colour? Sussexes' Weekend Revealed

While the royal family gathered on Buckingham Palace's balcony for Trooping the Colour, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle spent the weekend in markedly different settings across the United States. Meghan hosted a private game night with friends at the couple's Montecito home, while Harry made a rare solo public appearance in Texas.

Their absence from Trooping the Colour was hardly unexpected given the ongoing estrangement between the Sussexes and the royal family. Still, public interest remained high, with many eager to know how the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent the annual royal occasion they once attended as senior working royals.

How Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Spent Trooping The Colour Weekend

As King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Prince William, Kate Middleton, and other senior royals took centre stage in London on Saturday, 13 June, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry spent the weekend separately in the United States.

The former actress and As Ever founder hosted a game night for close friends at the couple's home in Montecito, California. Markle, 44, revealed in her Netflix series 'With Love, Meghan' that when Prince Harry is away she and her friends play mahjong.

The gathering was revealed through an Instagram post by her pal Kelly McKee Zajfen, co-founder of Alliance of Moms. Zajfen posted a photograph featuring a mahjong set on what appeared to be the Sussexes' patio.

'Ugh oh. Another one has been taken by the Maj bug. That being me,' she wrote in the caption. 'A perfect day spent with my ladies and having some much needed mama time. Thanks M & T Now back to the babes and obsessing over my next game.'

The 'M' was widely interpreted as a reference to Meghan.

Meanwhile, Harry, 41, spent part of the weekend in Texas. He attended Game 5 of the NBA Finals in San Antonio, where the New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs, drawing attention for making a rare solo public appearance. The following day, Fisher House Foundation shared a video of Prince Harry serving barbecue with United Airlines at the Warrior Games, the event that inspired his Invictus Games.

Their low-key plans stood in sharp contrast to the military pageantry, balcony appearance and RAF flypast taking place in London.

When Prince Harry And Meghan Last Joined Trooping The Colour

Prince Harry and Meghan were once regular participants in Trooping the Colour, appearing alongside senior royals during one of the monarchy's most visible public celebrations.

When the couple decided to step back from royal duties in 2020 and relocate to the United States, they no longer participated in the annual ceremony. They did attend Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022, which included Trooping the Colour. However, they were not included in the main balcony appearance, as only working royals were invited to take part.

Since then, the couple have remained absent from the celebration.

Meghan Markle's 'Colourful' Joke Left Kate Middleton In Awkward Silence

Prince Harry previously revealed an awkward exchange between Meghan and Kate during Meghan's first Trooping the Colour in his memoir, 'Spare.' According to Harry, the Princess of Wales asked Markle what she thought of her first Trooping the Colour experience and her response was reportedly not well-received.

'Kate asked Meg what she thought of her first Trooping the Colour. And Meg joked: Colourful,' Harry wrote.

Prince Harry said Meghan's one-word response was met with what he described as 'a yawning silence' that 'threatened to swallow us all whole.'

Why Trooping The Colour Remains One Of The Royal Family's Biggest Events

Trooping the Colour is an annual ceremonial event marking the official birthday of the British sovereign, regardless of their actual birth date. The tradition dates back more than 260 years and features over 1,400 soldiers, hundreds of horses, and military bands in a display of precision and royal pageantry in central London.

The event culminates in the royal family gathering on the Buckingham Palace balcony to watch an RAF flypast, making it one of the most watched royal appearances of the year.

Although Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are no longer part of that public display, interest in how they mark the occasion remains significant, reflecting continued fascination with the Sussexes' evolving relationship with the monarchy.