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17th Sep 2022

Harry and Meghan ‘uninvited’ to state reception at Buckingham Palace

Jack Peat

World leaders will attend the reception at the Palace 

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been ‘uninvited’ to a state reception for world leaders and foreign royals on Sunday evening, it has been reported.

Some 500 dignitaries from around the world will descend on London this weekend ahead of the state funeral on Monday.

Among them will be US President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden as well as Ireland’s Taoiseach, Micheal Martin and President Michael D Higgins.

French President Emmanuel Macron, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau have also signalled they will travel to London for the event.

They will be welcomed on Sunday evening with a reception in Buckingham Palace.

But one couple that did not make the cut for the evening was Prince Harry and his wife Meghan.

It is believed the couple had received an invitation to the event, hosted by King Charles and the Queen Consort, earlier in the week, but will no longer attend after officials at Buckingham Palace insisted that the reception should be for working royals only.

World leaders, ambassadors and foreign royals will be greeted by the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Princess Royal and the Earl and Countess of Wessex instead.

It follows an apparent U-turn over Harry’s right to wear military uniform despite being a non-working royal.

The Palace is understood to have intervened to allow Harry to wear his regalia to a 15-minute vigil at Westminster Hall today.

Harry had previously said he would wear a morning suit to all the funeral events.

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