From a window overlooking Horse Guards Parade, an energetic Meghan Markle appeared to playfully shush young royals as she made her first appearance at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
The Duchess of Sussex, 40, was all smiles as she spoke with Savannah and Isla Phillips, as well as Lena and Mia Tindall, and joked that they should stay quiet during the march.
Meghan was photographed with Prince Harry, 37, as the couple spoke with the Duke of Kent in another snap. After losing his honorary titles, Harry seemed to be wearing a morning suit rather than the military uniform worn by Prince Charles and Prince William.
Meghan joined her husband and royals including the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duchess of Cornwall to watch the spectacular military event from the Major General’s Office overlooking the Whitehall parade ground.
The working royals, including the Queen, Prince Charles, the Cambridges and their children, later appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony for the flypast. There was no place for Harry and Meghan or Prince Andrew since they are no longer working royals.
The couple’s Jubilee appearance is their first official engagement in more than two years. They are expected to bring along three-year-old Archie and Lilibet, nearly one, for the public family reunion, though the children have not yet been spotted.
Lilibet has never been introduced to her royal relatives, while Archie has not been in the UK since he was six months old. But there is no invitation for shamed Prince Andrew even in a private capacity after his fall from grace.
Meghan’s appearance came after Princes George and Louis were spotted taking a look over The Mall. They were joined by sister Charlotte with Kate, Camilla and Sophie Wessex also appearing at the window.
Louis was spotted waving at Prince William and Prince Charles as the parade took place. Meanwhile, Princess Beatrice appeared to point something out to the Cambridge children as they watched Trooping the Colour.
At one point, Princess Charlotte appeared to be told off by mother Kate as the young royal played with Mia Tindall.
George was dressed in a navy suit, white shirt and blue tie for the occasion, while Louis was wearing a sailor-style white and navy top echoing an outfit worn by his father at the 1985 Trooping event.
Charlotte’s hair was down, dressed up with two fine plaits fastened with a blue ribbon, and she wore a cornflower dress. She peered out of the central window at Horse Guards Parade as Louis pointed out towards the ceremony.
They arrived at Horse Guards Parade alongside their mother and grandmother in a carriage. The Duchess of Cambridge was wearing a white coat dress by Alexander McQueen and a hat by Philip Treacy. Riding horses were the Prince of Wales on George, the Duke of Cambridge on Derby and the Princess Royal on Sir John.
The Prince of Wales went ahead of the Duke of Cambridge and the Princess Royal as they rode diagonally across the forecourt and under the arches of Horse Guards.
Charles wore his scarlet Colonel of the Welsh Guards uniform and green thistle sash riding a horse named George. William rode on Derby in his Irish Guards uniform and Anne on a horse named Sir John in her Colonel of the Blues and Royals uniform as part of the colourful parade.
Meanwhile, the Queen exclaimed ‘incredible!’ from the Buckingham Palace balcony in front of tens of thousands of cheering Britons as she made her first apperance.
The 96-year-old monarch, who wore her Guards brooch and the blue Angela Kelly outfit used in her official Platinum Jubilee portrait released last night, took the salute this afternoon after arriving from Windsor Castle.
Royal superfans adorned themselves in Union flag clothing, flags and hats as they lined The Mall between Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square – where large crowds also gathered – to watch the Queen’s historic birthday parade kick off.
Groups were spotted cracking out glasses of Champagne and began singing God Save the Queen as early as 8am today – waking up the hardcore fans who had slept in chairs, tents and even on the pavement overnight to secure a prime spot for today’s celebrations.
Some had even flown in from as far and wide as Australia, Canada and the United States specially for the historic event, while others flocked from European countries including Germany and Italy to soak in the momentus occasion.
The sun was shining and spirits were high among the crowds as members of the public chatted and joked with police maintaining the perimeter. Several handmade signs hung over the barriers, with one simply saying, ‘thank you’.
Crowds were packed eight rows deep as they scrambled to watch the celebrations and were desperately trying to get a view of the royal action on their phones.
As the pomp and pageantry got underway, crowds cheered and clapped loudly as troops in bright red uniforms and bearskin hats made their way down The Mall towards Horse Guard Parade.
And an even bigger cheer erupted as the royals made their way down The Mall in carriages, led the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla, and a beaming Duchess of Cambridge, Kate, accompanied by her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
They were followed by Prince Edward, the Countess of Wessex and their children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn, 14, and then Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, and Prince Charles on horseback.