Prince Harry, Meghan Markle 'not a threat' to Jubilee, says royal author

Royal biographer Omid Scobie said that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and other members of the royal family do not pose a threat to the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Instead, he called out the tabloids that are bent on creating controversy out of the momentous occasion.

The co-author of "Finding Freedom" said that the threat does not come from "Team Windsor or House Montecito." But it comes from "the sections of media hellbent on joyriding the focus towards soap opera-style drama."

Scobie added that Queen Elizabeth II deserves better than "obsessing over family drama." He explained that the news of having only working royals appearing alongside the Queen on the Buckingham Palace balcony should not come as a surprise anymore.

In his piece for Yahoo News, he wrote, "Similar to Prince Charles' 2012 decision to limit family members on the balcony for the finale of her Diamond Jubilee celebrations (in order to show the world his slimmed-down vision for the Firm), this year's approach to the guestlist revises the rule to now include every family member currently carrying out royal duties."

He claimed that narrowing down the royal lineup for the RAF flypast also "solves the dilemma of keeping a certain disgraced royal at bay." He referred to Prince Andrew who according to sources, was "eager to stand by his mother during such a poignant and sympathetic scene."

The biographer added that it "makes sense" to only have working royals on the balcony. He wrote, "the appropriate image being presented on June 2 is a lineup of part-time and full-time working family members who are all responsible for continuing the Queen's legacy beyond her reign."

Scobie also clarified that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle never requested to be part of the Buckingham Palace balcony appearance. He cited sources who told him that the duke already told Queen Elizabeth II beforehand that he does not want to be part of the Trooping the Colour. Instead, he told his grandmother that he and Meghan Markle would very much want to be part of other engagements at the Platinum Jubilee. This includes the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral.