Prince Harry's wish to attend the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebration next year despite stepping down as a senior royal in early 2020 is "arrogant" and "hypocritical", a royal expert says.
Among the four-day-long celebrations next June, which will mark the Queen's 70 years on the throne, are a live concert at Buckingham Palace and the Platinum Jubilee Pageant.
The Duke of Sussex reportedly wants to be included in the event after Buckingham Palace released the plans for it earlier this week.
But royal expert Phil Dampier disagreed with Harry's approach, telling The Sun coming back to celebrate the jubilee "does smack a bit of hypocrisy".
"I think it is arrogant of Meghan and Harry to opt-out of things they don't want to do, ie, normal royal duties and representing the Queen throughout the Commonwealth, but they are quite happy to come back and pick and choose," he says.
"If you are not supporting the monarchy, why celebrate 70 years on the throne? Obviously, he wanted to come back for Prince Philip's funeral which is fair enough as it's his beloved grandfather, but coming back to celebrate the Jubilee, it does smack a bit of hypocrisy."
Even though it is just Harry who has expressed a desire to return for the jubilee, some commentators have suggested Meghan, their son Archie, and baby Sussex, who is due in the UK's summer, could also come along, Express reports.
Dampier believes the Queen is unlikely to stop them from attending and could even get them a place on Buckingham Palace's balcony, as is tradition for family members.
"The Queen is always somebody who will try and be conciliatory and she's made it clear in a few statements that Harry and Meghan are still much-loved members of the family, despite the fact that I'm sure that deep down she is very disappointed they have left the royal family."
Harry and Meghan officially stepped back as working royals in March 2020 and have been stripped of their royal patronages and military titles, but they have indicated they want to return for family occasions.
The Duke's wish to be a part of the event could cause a "fresh headache" for the royal family, a royal insider said earlier this week according to Express.
"Where will they be positioned if they turn up? What events can they attend?" they said.
"This is a celebration for the Queen's 70 years of service to the nation and should not be overshadowed. There are now so many questions about what to do with Harry and Meghan."
Harry was due to return to the United Kingdom next month for the unveiling of a statue in Princess Diana's honour on what would have been her 60th birthday. But since Meghan is due to give birth in the next couple of weeks, his plans are in doubt and he may miss the event, royal expert Russell Myers told ITV.
"The thing I'm being told is they still really want to be there, both of them. Certainly, William and Kate will be there," he said.
"But whether Harry can fly over there because the baby is imminently due this summer… it will certainly be in the next couple of weeks."
The Sussexes are currently living in Montecito, north of Los Angeles, in a multimillion-dollar mansion with their son Archie.
