Why Harry And Meghan Will Miss The Queen’s NATO Reception
As a young generation of senior royals, William, Harry, Kate and Meghan are usually expected to attend all the major events. But tonight, only the Duchess of Cambridge will be there out of the ‘Fab Four’. William, Harry and Meghan won’t be in attendance- but for different reasons.
Tonight, the Queen is hosting a drinks reception at Buckingham Palace ahead of a two-day NATO summit. The NATO summit will go for two days and will take place at Grove Hotel in Chandler’s Cross, Watford.
The banquet has been organised to mark the 70th anniversary of the NATO alliance. It will see 70 world leaders come together as well as other royals including Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duchess of Cambridge.
However, Harry and Meghan won’t be guests because the reception falls during their “family time.” The Duke and Duchess of Sussex revealed they would take about six weeks off towards the end of the year amid their concerns that the intense scrutiny they’ve faced has been tough on the couple.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are looking forward to extended family time towards the end of this month,” a spokesperson for the couple announced in November. “Having spent the last two Christmases at Sandringham, Their Royal Highnesses will spend the holiday this year, as a new family, with the Duchess’ mother Doria Ragland.”
“This decision is in line with precedent set previously by other members of the Royal Family, and has the support of Her Majesty The Queen.”
As for Prince William, he won’t attend the event because he is currently in the Middle East on a four-day solo tour of Kuwait and Oman.
Today he is in Oman; after watching British troops and their Kuwaiti counterparts storm a building during a dramatic military exercise.