As a nine-year-old girl, Princess Elizabeth was accompanied by her family at Buckingham Palace’s balcony. She was there to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of her grandfather George V. Her excited smile lit up as she looked down at the crowds below.
A little over a century later, Queen Elizabeth II, the former princess, is expected to return to the balcony to wave to millions to celebrate her 70th year on the throne.
The balcony appearance is a mainstay of British royal celebrations. It allows the public to see the extended royal family gathered for a grand photo to commemorate weddings, coronations, and jubilees. The extended royal family puts on their best uniforms, hats, and frocks every June to celebrate the queen’s birthday. This is followed by Trooping the Color, an extravagant military parade, and the balcony moment following the Royal Air Force’s departure.
Balcony photos through the years document the changing faces and provide snapshots of many important moments in Elizabeth’s lifetime. The princess wore her military uniform as a young girl and stood beside Winston Churchill in celebration of the end to World War II.
Eight years later, she donned the Imperial State Crown and regal gowns to welcome a crowd of delighted subjects following her coronation.
Those who are not present will be able to see the family’s Platinum Jubilee balcony visit on Thursday. Officials from the Palace announced that the queen had decided, “after careful consideration”, that only the working members of her family and their children would be allowed to gather on the balcony.
This means Prince Harry and Meghan, his wife and frontline royal duties, will be exempted along with their children. Prince Andrew will also be expelled due to a scandal involving sex and his connections with Jeffrey Epstein, a former convicted sex offender.
Emily Nash (royal editor at HELLO!) said, “I think that the decision to have only current working members of royal family on the balcony is a very sensible one because this avoids any awkward situations.” magazine.
“People are monitoring the family dynamics to determine if tensions exist. There would be a lot of outcry if Prince Andrew was seen on the balcony. It resolves all of those issues in one go,” Nash said. “But, the palace had made clear throughout that Harry & Meghan are very much loved family members and they will still be here,” Nash said.
Harry and Meghan, also known as the Duke & Duchess of Sussex and Meghan, will be flying to the U.K. to join their children. This will be Harry’s first trip to the UK, so any appearances they make at Jubilee events (including a service at St. Paul’s Cathedral on Sunday) will be closely monitored.
Andrew will remain out of the public eye, however, following a multimillion-pound settlement he reached with a woman who, at 17 years old, filed a U.S. suit against him alleging sexual assault. In January, the scandal saw Andrew’s second son lose his honorary military titles.
According to some royal watchers, the small balcony lineup on Thursday also reflects Prince Charles’ long-standing desire to reduce the monarchy.
This means that the queen will be flanked on Thursday by Charles, her 73-year old heir and Camilla; Prince William (second in line to the throne) with Kate and their three children; Charles’ siblings, Prince Edward and Princess Anne, as well as their spouses.
The group will also include several other less well-known working royals, such as the Queen’s cousin, Duke of Gloucester and his wife, along with the Duke and Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra.
Although some balcony events have featured a large contingent royals, including distant cousins of the queen, the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012 saw the queen with just five family members: Charles and Camilla, William and Kate.
Robert Hardman, the monarch’s biographer and author of Queen of Our Times: Elizabeth II’s Life, said, “It was making an argument, it was saying — this is what the future, folks.”
