Prince Harry's Full-Circle Shushing Moment at Trooping the Colour More Than 30 Years Later: Then & Now

Vanessa Etienne
·2 min read
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Prince Harry has made a lifetime of appearances at the annual Trooping the Colour parade — and on Thursday, he came full circle in one particularly impromptu moment.

The Duke of Sussex, 37, was seen playfully shushing his young cousin Lena Tindall, 3, by holding a finger up to his mouth while watching the parade that honors Queen Elizabeth's birthday. The gesture echoed a similar snap of Harry in 1990 when the then 5-year-old prince shushed his cousin Princess Beatrice, who was almost 2 years old.

This year, Harry and Meghan, 40, watched the parade for Queen Elizabeth from the Major General's Office, which overlooks the Horse Guards Parade. During the event, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were captured charming a few young royals, including Zara Tindall's kids, Lena and Mia, 8, and Peter Phillips' daughter Savannah, 11.

Prince Harry with Savannah Phillips and Mia Tindall, princess beatrice
Prince Harry with Savannah Phillips and Mia Tindall, princess beatrice

Kelvin Bruce; Martin Keene - PA Images/PA Images via Getty

The outing marks the first time that Harry and Meghan have appeared together with the royal family in more than two years. Their last appearance was in March 2020 for Commonwealth Day, their final outing as official working royals.

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Meghan Markle with Savannah Phillips and Mia Tindall in the Major General's office overlooking The Trooping of the Colour on Horse Guards Parade.
Meghan Markle with Savannah Phillips and Mia Tindall in the Major General's office overlooking The Trooping of the Colour on Horse Guards Parade.

Kelvin Bruce Meghan Markle with the royal children at Buckingham Palace for Trooping the Color on June 2.

The couple stepped back from royal duties in January 2020 and have since moved to Montecito, California.

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For Thursday's event, Harry wore a blue suit rather than ceremonial dress as he has in the past, while Meghan coordinated in an asymmetrical, wide-brimmed Stephen Jones hat with an oversized navy bow and coordinating navy dress.

Queen Elizabeth II watches from the balcony of Buckingham Place after the Trooping the Color ceremony
Queen Elizabeth II watches from the balcony of Buckingham Place after the Trooping the Color ceremony

Jonathan Brady/AP/Shutterstock Queen Elizabeth

This year's Trooping the Colour is historic, as it kicks off a long weekend of festivities celebrating the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, marking her record-breaking 70-year reign.

The planned events include the lighting of Platinum Jubilee beacons, a service of Thanksgiving at St. Paul's Cathedral, the Derby at Epsom Downs, a live concert called "Platinum Party at the Palace," the Big Jubilee Lunch and the Platinum Jubilee Pageant.