Meghan Markle & Prince Harry Were Behind Prince William & Kate Middleton At Queen’s Parade For This Reason

Fans of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were surprised when the royal couple seemed to be pushed to the back of the group during the annual balcony appearance of the royal family at the Queen’s birthday celebration, Trooping the Colour.

Cosmopolitan reported that there is what is known as a pecking order for royals and that determines who is pushed forward towards the crowds and who lingers behind.

Said a royal source to the magazine, “She [Markle] was not as prominent perhaps as some people might have expected, but there’s a pecking order…There was no slight intended, but William being the older, a more senior brother would go out [first] with his wife.”

Also in the front were Queen Elizabeth, her son Prince Charles and his wife Camilla Parker-Bowles, Prince William and Kate Middleton’s children Princes Louis and George and Princess Charlotte as well as the Queen’s son Prince Andrew.

Prince Louis made his debut at the event, so fans of Meghan and Harry will likely see their son Archie at next years’ Trooping the Colour when he is old enough to enjoy some of the pomp and pageantry associated with the parade.

The tradition of Trooping the Colour dates all the way back to King George II, who in 1748 combined the annual summer military march with his birthday celebration. King George II’s official birthday was in November. The reigning monarch has had the option of having an official birthday in the summertime, reported Town & Country Magazine.

Queen Elizabeth’s official birthday is April 21.

A royal insider also revealed to Us Weekly that baby Archie was at the annual event even though he did not make a formal appearance to the crowds. The insider revealed that it was a chance for his royal cousins to be able to meet Archie for the first time, as well as some other members of the royal family who had not yet met the first child of Meghan and Harry.

The same insider also revealed to the publication that this was the first time the former American actress was away from her newborn son for an extended duration of time. Meghan was on maternity leave for two weeks prior to Archie’s birth on May 6 of this year. Her maternity leave is rumored to continue throughout the summer months. Meghan is expected to return to her official royal duties in September.

Meghan and Harry recently celebrated their first anniversary as a married couple. The two wed on May 19, 2018. Three short months after their nuptials they announced they would be expecting their first child together.

The couple recently moved into their first home, Frogmore Cottage in Windsor.