Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Gather With Kate Middleton in London to Mark

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle gathered in London on Thursday morning with Kate Middleton and other members of the royal family to watch the queen’s birthday parade, a hotly anticipated moment in royal history coming after two years of acrimonious allegations by the couple against Harry’s family.

However they were not immediately seen on the televised version of events.

The California-based couple were said to have arrived discreetly at Horse Guards Parade in London by car with their children, in contrast to some other members of the family who arrived publicly in horse-drawn carriages.

William and Kate’s three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, arrived in a royal carriage with their mother and step-grandmother, Camilla. George was later seen on the balcony of a room known as the Major General’s Office, but Harry and Meghan and their kids stayed out of view as proceedings got underway.

Their arrival was not filmed by TV cameras, and as the ceremonies began at 11 a.m., they had still not been shown on British TV screens, although palace sources had previously confirmed that Harry, Meghan, and their two children would be there.

The couple are on their first joint visit to the U.K. since they quit royal life and moved to America, having landed in London on Wednesday afternoon, where they were met by a royal car sent by the queen to pick them up, interpreted by some as a conciliatory gesture.

It had previously been announced that Harry and Meghan would not appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, but late Wednesday night it was revealed that Harry and Meghan would be watching the proceedings from the military office overlooking the Whitehall parade ground where the traditional event takes place, in the company of other royals.

While Prince William was joining his father Prince Charles on the parade ground, Kate, Camilla, and Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie, were due to watch the event from the ceremonial military room—alongside Harry and Meghan.

It is believed to be the first time that Meghan and Kate have been in the same room since the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in March 2020, when William and Kate almost completely ignored Harry and Meghan.

At least two protesters, one of whom was wearing a mock crown, were dragged away by police after they attempted to interrupt the opening minutes of the queen’s birthday parade. They leaped out of the crowd and in front of red-coated soldiers marching down London’s principal ceremonial street, The Mall, shortly after the beginning of the proceedings at 10 a.m. One wore a crown and the other held a sign which appeared to be agitating for a redistribution of royal land.

The solders did not break step and one of the protesters came close to being trampled.

Prince William and Kate today said they were “looking forward to celebrating” the queen’s platinum jubilee.