Harry and Meghan silent on Commonwealth Day after being stripped of their titles
Unsurprisingly, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were not in attendance at this year's Commonwealth Day service. The annual ceremony is one of the rare occasions where all senior royals join together for a grand service at Westminster Abbey, with King Charles III taking the lead for his first as monarch. Somewhat ironically, the theme for 2023 is Forging a Sustainable and Peaceful Common Future, which comes at a time of great upheaval in the Royal Family.
Relations are very sour with Harry and Meghan at the moment after the release of his memoir Spare, their Netflix docu-series and the decision to boot the pair out of Frogmore Cottage. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were once destined to be the stars of the Commonwealth, but they lost their titles and have made no reference to Monday's service.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were sat behind the Prince and Princess of Wales at the the Commonwealth Day Service 2020 (Getty Images)
The Sussexes were president and vice-president of The Queen's Commonwealth Trust and pledged to work with the 54 nations. However, they were stripped of their positions as president by the late Queen Elizabeth II in February 2021.
Commonwealth Day 2020 was their final royal engagement before they quit being senior royals and left to start a new life in North America. In their Netflix series, Harry admitted there were nerves when he was reunited with some family members for the first time. "The first time that we saw the other members of the family was in Westminster Abbey," explained Harry.
"We were nervous seeing the family because all the TV cameras and everybody watching at home and everybody watching in the audience. It's like living through a soap opera where everybody else views you as entertainment. "I felt really distant from the rest of my family, which was interesting because so much of how they operate is about what it looks like, rather than what it feels like.
And it looked cold. But it also felt cold." Harry and Meghan were seen sharing a joke and a laugh with Prince Edward while sat in their seats, but didn't seem to speak to many other royals.
Meghan memorably wore a vibrant green Emilia Wickstead cape dress that started blowing in the wind as she left the Abbey.
Harry and Meghan arriving at Westminster Abbey in 2020 (Getty Images)
Meghan's dress got a lot of praise (UK Press via Getty Images)
According to Christine Ross, the editor of the blog Meghan's Mirror, Meghan used the dress to send a secret but powerful message. She believes that it was a clear signal to the designer and to the people who claimed the two women had a "complicated" relationship. Speaking previously on the Mirror's royal podcast Pod Save the Queen, she said: "One of the most iconic looks is going to be her green Emilia Wickstead cape dress.
"That cape blowing in the wind as she walked into the church and then walked out of the church, which was such an emotional moment for so many people as it was their last formal engagement as royals. "That green dress will stand out in history books I think." Before the ceremony, 2,000 orders of service had been distributed detailing that William and Kate would enter the Abbey with the main royal party.
However, there was no mention of Harry and Meghan being in the procession, with the Daily Mail reporting the couple was "quite sensitive and emotional about it". This reportedly led to William and Kate not walking in the procession in an attempt to resolve the issue - despite the orders of service stating otherwise.
Meghan speaks to Charles, while Harry and William chat, at Commonwealth Day 2019 (AFP/Getty Images)
In his book, 'Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War between the Windsors', royal expert Tom Bower claimed a "monumental argument" took place after "Palace officials ... decided to publicly humiliate [Harry and Meghan]". He wrote: "Reality hit two days later, on 9th March.
A monumental argument blew up after Harry was told that he and Meghan could not join the family's procession through Westminster Abbey for the annual Commonwealth Day Service. "Although the order of service listed Harry and Meghan walking behind the Queen, Palace officials had revised their decision. Suspicious about the Sussexes they decided to publicly humiliate them.
"Harry was told that having stepped down from royal duties, he and Meghan would sit and wait with the congregation. The prospect of the televised image of their isolation in the Abbey appalled them. "By then they were keenly aware of Kate and William's antagonism.
William had not offered a brotherly welcome and Kate was outright distant towards her sister-in-law. "Eventually, to end the dispute, William and Kate agreed they too would wait with Harry and Meghan. As the members of the Royal Family filed into the Abbey, the frayed relationships could not be concealed.
"Kate had blanked the Sussexes and William's greeting was cold.
Harry looked strained.
Meghan's face showed bemusement."