Most fans vividly remember the last time they saw Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as working royals during a Commonwealth Day Service in March 2020. However, it was nothing compared to the treatment Harry received when he returned to England with his wife after two years abroad. The wounds from their explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey were still fresh in people’s minds, and the reality of their non-working royal status hit home during a major event.

Prince Harry at the Jubilee service

Royal expert Richard Kay has shared his thoughts on how “reality must have sunk in” for the Duke of Sussex as he attended the Jubilee thanksgiving service.

The Painful Moment

The date was June 3, 2022, and the occasion was a service of thanksgiving for Queen Elizabeth II at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrived at the cathedral, expecting their usual prime seating. Instead, they were escorted to seats in the middle of the second row. For a couple accustomed to prominent positions at events, this was a significant shift.

The Grand Entrance

But that wasn’t all. The welcome wagon for the Sussexes’ new status as non-working royals involved riding to the cathedral in a coach with lesser-known family members. However, Harry and Meghan intentionally delayed their pickup, missing the transportation and making their own grand entrance later. Commentator Lady Colin Campbell explained that they had been “lumped with the never-was royals,” prompting their decision to be late and miss their assigned slot.

Unhappy with the Seats

Once inside the cathedral, Harry realized the full extent of their changed circumstances. He wasn’t pleased with their seats and decided that he and Meghan should at least sit closest to the aisle. He asked Princess Beatrice to move down, emphasizing the discomfort of their new reality.

Prince Harry reacts as he leans forward while seated near Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, and behind Prince Edward and Sophie during the service of thanksgiving for Queen Elizabeth II

In those “19 minutes of pain,” Harry grappled with the consequences of their departure from the monarchy. The world watched as the royal rift became palpable, and the path they had chosen away from traditional royal duties came into sharp focus.

As the Platinum Jubilee unfolded, Prince Harry’s emotions were on full display, serving as a poignant reminder of the complexities and challenges faced by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in their post-royal life.