Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's absence at Guildhall reception leaves royal fans confused
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended the Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen at St. Paul's Cathedral but skipped its reception


Prince Harry and Meghan Markle did not join the Royal Family at the Guildhall reception for the Service of Thanksgiving this afternoon, leading royal fans to speculate on their alternative plans.
- Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were nowhere to be seen at the Guildhall reception for the Queen's Service of Thanksgiving in London this afternoon.
- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not join the Royal Family for the buffet lunch after the ceremony, leaving many royal fans to speculate on their whereabouts.
- In other royal news, 'Elegant' Meghan Markle glows in chic white dress and Snowflake earrings at Queen's Service of Thanksgiving.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle did not join the Royal Family at the Guildhall reception this afternoon, despite attending the Service of Thanksgiving earlier today.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made quite the entrance at the ceremony for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee on Friday morning, alighting their Range Rover at St. Paul's Cathedral to a mixture of applause and boos before taking their seats in the church next to Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
The A-list couple's appearance marked their first public reunion with their British relatives since their high-profile withdrawal from the Royal Family in January 2020, and has drawn mass interest from both their supporters and critics alike.
The Service of Thanksgiving, which was missed by the Queen due to her mobility issues, was followed by a lunchtime reception hosted by London's Lord Mayor, Vincent Keaveny, at Guildhall.
Prince Charles, Duchess Camilla, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Prince Edward, Sophie Wessex, and Lady Louise Windsor were all photographed making their way into the historic town hall. Zara and Mike Tindall were also in attendance.
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive at Guildhall for a reception after the St Paul’s service pic.twitter.com/3XVUdJO9nPJune 3, 2022
Princess Anne and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, were unable to make the buffet lunch due to scheduling conflicts with their Scotland trip. The Queen's only daughter is on route to Edinburgh, where she is expected to visit the city's zoo and receive a tour of the HMS Albion on Saturday in honor of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
Sign up for the woman&home newsletter
Sign up to our free daily email for the latest royal and entertainment news, interesting opinion, expert advice on styling and beauty trends, and no-nonsense guides to the health and wellness questions you want answered.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were also absent from the reception, despite not having any other engagements on their to-do list for the day. The Sussexes' no-show has left many royal fans confused, prompting some to speculate on their alternative plans for the afternoon.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attended the Service of Thanksgiving but skipped the reception at Guildhall
"Not surprised at all that Prince Harry and Meghan did not go to the Guildhall, they are parents to two very young children, who have flown long distance, family first," one person wrote on Twitter.
Another fan suggested that the couple had decided to skip the reception at the last minute in response to their divided reaction and seating arrangements at St. Paul's Cathedral.
"It looks like Harry and Meghan are no shows at the Guildhall Lunch? I guess that they were not pleased by the boos and their assigned seats at St. Paul's?" the suspicious royal follower tweeted.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's absence at the reception comes one day before they celebrate the first birthday of their daughter, Lilibet, on Saturday at Frogmore Cottage. It's been widely reported that the Queen, who is expected to miss the Epsom Derby tomorrow, is hoping to attend the festivities for her great-grandchild.

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.
Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.
-
Who says knee highs aren't for spring? Sienna Miller's trending tan boots rework everything you thought you knew about this season's footwear
Sienna Miller has shown that you can still get plenty of wear out of knee high boots this season styled in a different way.
By Emma Shacklock
-
Confirmed: Sofia Vergara relies on this 'amazing' shampoo brand to keep her strands in tip-top condition
Wave goodbye to damage and quickly fading colour, this lineup of shampoos is A-list approved
By Sennen Prickett
-
Princess Eugenie gives knitwear a spring makeover with short sleeved jumper and satin skirt at poignant London visit
Princess Eugenie isn’t a working member of the Royal Family, but she’s a dedicated Patron of several vital charities and organisations.
By Emma Shacklock
-
Bye skinny jeans, hello palazzo trousers - Meghan Markle nails New York spring style with her ultra-wide leg look
Jeans will never fully be replaced in my wardrobe but I’ve been finding myself drawn to wearing trousers more and more recently.
By Emma Shacklock
-
Forget-me-not blue is the pastel Duchess Sophie always comes back to - it might've overtaken pistachio as our favourite this season
The royals love wearing a range of colours for engagements and visits, but there are a few hues that each of them gravitate towards the most.
By Emma Shacklock
-
Don't let white jeans daunt you - Duchess Sophie's recent outfit shows they're just as versatile as blue denim
Blue jeans are a wardrobe must-have for so many of us but white denim has a reputation for being a lot more challenging to style.
By Emma Shacklock
-
Queen Camilla sends subtle but sweet message as she and King Charles share 20th wedding anniversary video
The King and Queen have taken us on a trip down memory lane as they marked their milestone anniversary with a special video montage.
By Emma Shacklock
-
We're surprised Meghan Markle just wore an £18 spring knit - and even more surprised it's still in stock
Meghan Markle never fails to look put-together and she’s shared a video that proves her off-duty outfits are just as elegant.
By Emma Shacklock
-
There's 'only one person' King Charles will 'listen to' when it comes to his health, says royal expert
King Charles is known for his 'workaholic' ways and his commitment to his schedule hasn’t changed since his cancer diagnosis.
By Emma Shacklock
-
Duchess Sophie’s added a dainty Missoma bracelet to her jewellery box and we're buying the exact same
Duchess Sophie wore one bracelet on repeat during her visit to Nepal and this stunning Missoma design is in our basket.
By Emma Shacklock