(Photo: Chris Jackson/Pool via REUTERS)
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are going to miss a royal event this coming week. On Wednesday, Feb. 19, Prince Andrew will be celebrating his 60th birthday with a royal family dinner. However, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not be flying back to London to attend the small party.
According to royal correspondent Neil Sean, it is an open secret that Prince Harry and Meghan declined the invitation to be at Prince Andrew's birthday. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex told their uncle that they have a previous commitment, but they will be featured in a video message that will be played during the celebration.
Queen Elizabeth is hosting Prince Andrew's birthday dinner at Buckingham Palace. However, unlike Prince Charles' 60th birthday more than a decade ago, this party will be quite a small scale because of the backlash of the duke's BBC interview last November to clarify his friendship with the convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Immediately following the interview, the eighth in line to the throne resigned from his royal duties after supporters of the charities and organizations working with the royal family have expressed cutting their ties if he is still the patron. Reports stated that before the backlash, Queen Elizabeth planned a big birthday bash for her alleged favorite son.
But it's not just Prince Harry and Meghan who will skip celebrating with Prince Andrew. It looks like the rest of the U.K. might not honor the Duke of York on his special day as well.
According to the Associated Press, some government officials are not going to raise the Union Jack on Feb. 19. The flag is usually up and flying when a royal is celebrating his or her birthday. Reports stated that the British government is now reviewing this ancient policy.
But government agencies received an email from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to fly the flag this week for Prince Andrew's birthday. However, many local councils slammed the reminder.
Some government officials say it would be inappropriate to fly the Union Jack for Prince Andrew given the allegations against him. The gesture could also be insulting to the victims of the pedophile. Though he denied he benefitted from Epstein's sex trafficking operations, one of the victims came forward and said that she had sexual relations with Prince Andrew at 17 years old.
Due to this latest development, royal observers are now wondering if Prince Harry and Meghan might also skip the wedding of Prince Andrew's daughter, Princess Beatrice. The event will be happening in May.
