Meghan Markle, Prince Harry 'low-key' at Jubilee for a reason, says pal

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex only had one public appearance and left the U.K. quietly before the celebrations ended.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle slipped in and out of the U.K. quietly when they joined the royals for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. A source close to the couple said they were specifically there to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II and nothing more.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were generally low-key during the celebrations. They only attended two events: the Trooping the Colour parade which they watched from the Major General's Office at Buckingham Palace, and the Thanksgiving Service at St. Paul's Cathedral the following day.

According to a source who knows the couple, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle flew back home to see the Queen and celebrate her 70 years on the throne. The insider told People, "Yes, they were low-key. They paid their respects and went home."

It is said that they met with Her Majesty privately at Windsor Castle after the Trooping the Colour parade to introduce her to Lilibet Diana. The source continued, "They were really here to see the Queen, and they did."

The insider reminded the public that they "aren't part of the [working] royal family anymore, and that's a decision they have taken — but maybe [the public] hasn't quite accepted that yet."

The couple was so low-key that they reportedly did not attend a couple of private royal receptions. They did not join a lunch gathering after the Trooping the Colour parade and returned to Frogmore Cottage instead. They also did not join a VIP reception after the Thanksgiving Service, where they would have had to rub shoulders with Prince William and Kate Middleton.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex left the U.K. even before the celebrations ended with the Platinum Jubilee Pageant on Sunday, June 5. While the royals watched the parade from Buckingham Palace, they were already aboard a private jet bound for Los Angeles.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left the U.K. as quietly as they arrived, without paparazzi capturing photos of their arrival and departure. Suffice to say, they stuck true to their promise that they will keep a low profile to avoid royal drama.