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Harry, Meghan and Andrew to join the Queen's Platinum Jubilee service at St Paul’s
26 May 2022, 08:29 | Updated: 26 May 2022, 10:13
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are set to join the Queen at a thanksgiving service at St Paul's Cathedral to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee, along with Prince Andrew.
The 96-year-old monarch's cousins, children and grandchildren are expected to attend the service of thanksgiving on Friday, June 3.
Prince Andrew will also make a rare public appearance for the first time since his father Prince Philip's memorial in April, The Telegraph reports.
The Royal Family's youngest members, including the Sussexes’ son, Archie, three, and daughter, Lilibet, are not expected to take part.
The last time the Duke and Duchess of Sussex came to the UK was in April, ahead of the Invictus Games, where they "offered an olive branch" to the Queen in Windsor.
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The Sussexes had not been in the UK together since they quit as senior working royals more than two years ago.
The last time they were surrounded by so many members of the Royal family was when they married at Windsor Castle in May 2018.
Prince Andrew will also attend the service in what is expected to be his sole appearance of the four days of festivities.
The Queen’s relatives will attend as family members, meaning the Sussexes and Prince Andrew, who are no longer working members of the Royal family, will attend in a private capacity.
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The four-day bank holiday weekend will see a service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, the Platinum Party at the Palace and the Platinum Jubilee Pageant.
The monarch’s participation is unlikely to be confirmed until the day, with Buckingham Palace announcing earlier this year that she will not attend all royal duties due to her mobility issues.
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The service at St Paul's Cathedral is said to be one of the jubilee events she is particularly keen to attend.
The service will be the only public event of the four-day celebration for which she will be surrounded by all four of her children – the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, Prince Andrew and the Earl of Wessex.
Buckingham Palace is understood to be working on plans to ensure the Queen can attend the event comfortably.
Earlier this week she used a buggy to attend the opening of the Chelsea Flower Show - using the mode of transport around the event for the first time.
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It was the first time in nearly a decade that the monarch is believed to have used a buggy at an official engagement.
The Queen was seen in a golf buggy nine years ago in 2013 during the Coronation Festival in the gardens of Buckingham Palace.
She also used one during a tour to Australia in 2011, when she visited Government House in Canberra.
The monarch recently made a surprise appearance at the opening of the Elizabeth line and watched her beloved horses compete at the Royal Windsor Horse Show and the Gallop Through History equestrian.
She missed the State Opening of Parliament, with the Prince of Wales reading the Queen's Speech on her behalf.