Prince Harry and Meghan ‘never wanted to be on Jubilee Party balcony’

A close friend of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has tried to put to rest a damaging report about the royal couple.

Prince Harry and Meghan never wanted to be on the Buckingham Palace balcony at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, despite reports they were “cut” from the family affair.

Omid Scobie, author of Finding Freedom, said Prince Harry had “spoken with his grandmother about the possibility of not attending Trooping the Colour long before last week’s announcements”.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex decided it was “inappropriate” to appear at the “balcony moment” as they were no longer working royals, he added in an article for Yahoo news.

But Scobie added both were “keen” to be a part of the Jubilee and to attend the service on June 3.

The Sussexes during the 2018 Trooping The Colour on the Mall in London, England. Picture: Getty Images

It comes as a royal expert says Prince Charles will need Prince Harry and Meghan when he becomes King.

According to The Sun, the Prince of Wales is likely to want and need them because their young appeal is a “huge asset”, author Tina Brown said.

It comes after Britain got a glimpse of Charles’ reign as he stepped in for the Queen at Tuesday’s State Opening of Parliament.

Ms Brown, speculating that Harry and Meghan could return to the Firm, said: “My guess is Charles is really going to want them back — sort of need them back actually — because Harry and Meghan were huge assets to the whole royal repertoire quite frankly.

“They had a young appeal that was very, very potent in the country.”

Prince Charles. Picture: Getty Images

Tina Brown. Picture: Getty Images

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be returning to Britain together next month for Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee.

But they have been banned from the balcony for the traditional Trooping the Colour RAF fly-past, along with shamed Prince Andrew.

The royal balcony snub means only working members of the Royal Family will wave to crowds on The Mall as Her Majesty celebrates 70 years on the throne.

She will stand alongside Charles and Camilla, William and Kate, and their kids George, Charlotte and Louis.

Also on the line-up will be Princess Anne and her husband Sir Timothy Laurence, Prince Edward and Sophie, their children Lady Louise Windsor and James Viscount Severn, and the Duke of Kent.

Harry and Meghan’s friend Omid Scobie insisted the pair told the Queen that they never wanted to be on the balcony, denying they were cut from the line-up.

Prince Harry and Meghan have been described as “huge assets” to the royal family by author Tina Brown. Picture: Getty Images for the Invictus Games Foundation

But the couple did insist on attending Her Majesty’s Thanksgiving Service.

There had been doubt over whether Harry and Meghan would even come to the UK for the festivities next month - but minutes after the monarch’s announcement they confirmed they would fly in.

In their first visit as a family of four, they said they were “excited” to bring Archie, three, and baby Lilibet to the UK.

The Queen is yet to meet 10-month-old Lilibet, who will celebrate her first birthday during the celebrations.

There have been fears the Duke and Duchess of Sussex could “hijack or overshadow” the long weekend’s events, which take place from June 2 to June 5. And palace courtiers will be on guard to stop any Netflix crews from filming inside royal events.

Originally published as Prince Harry and Meghan ‘never wanted to be on Jubilee Party balcony’