Duchess Meghan & Harry are unlikely to visit Balmoral this summer as planned

Royal Ascot, Portrait of TRH Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex and TRH Meghan the Duchess of Sussex in front of HRH Queen Elizabeth the Second

Lifetime is making another TV movie about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. This one will be called Harry & Meghan: Escaping the Palace. Clearly, Americans love the story of one of our homegrown American girls running off to England to marry a ginger prince, then getting him to leave his country and decamp to sunny Los Angeles. It’s a Nu Fairy Tale. It actually has all the elements of a political/action thriller, especially the way they dropped their Sussexit announcement in January. I hope that at some point, some smart writer really does turn this into a compelling miniseries.

Meanwhile, did you remember that Harry and Meghan had loose plans to visit Balmoral this summer? LOL. That’s not going to happen.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reportedly accepted an invitation in March from the Queen to holiday with her at Balmoral this summer, but with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Prince Harry and Meghan’s trip to Scotland seems unlikely now.

HELLO!’s online royal correspondent Danielle Stacey says: “It seems unlikely that the Sussexes or any member of the royal family will be travelling this summer. The Queen is expected to remain at Windsor Castle for the foreseeable future and it could mean that her traditional summer break in Balmoral might not even take place this year. It’s understood that Her Majesty is continuing to follow appropriate advice when it comes to engagements and she has been keeping in touch with family and friends by phone and video calls.”

The trip would have been Archie’s first visit to Balmoral, where his dad and uncle Prince William used to spend their summers as children.

[From Hello]

I said before that I believe that the Queen will still find some way to go to Balmoral this summer. Obviously, she can’t announce plans for that right now, but I guarantee that “the politics of Covid” will be different by the end of June, and the royal commentators will push a “poor Petty Liz, she just wants to spend some down time in Scotland, we should let her” narrative. As for Harry and Meghan… yeah, I have my doubts that they would have even made the trip even without a global pandemic. Of course, the original plan – I’m convinced – was for H&M to launch everything in May and June, including the Omid Scobie biography. Everything has been pushed back to what I assume will be late summer. Obviously, the Sussexes can’t visit Liz of House Petty while they’re doing back-to-back launch events for their charities and Netflix projects and also dominating headlines from Finding Freedom. It’s too much!

Ten bucks says the next time Harry and Meghan travel to England is next year, when they’re up for their “one-year review.” What will the world look like in April 2021?

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle pay a visit to Johannesburg

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, social media.

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75 Responses to “Duchess Meghan & Harry are unlikely to visit Balmoral this summer as planned”

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  1. Erinn says:

    Unless you see a substantial change in the right direction with covid, or the Queen or Philip pass, I don’t think they’ll be back this year.

    • DarlingDiana says:

      Agree.

    • bettyrose says:

      “Couple with young child chooses not to travel internationally mid-pandemic. Film at eleven.”

    • Case says:

      Absolutely. I don’t believe travel will be safe through the end of 2020.

      • Anne Call says:

        Not getting on a plane until there is a vaccine. My son and his GF are moving from NYC to big Island Hawaii June 1st and that’s going to be super stressful.

      • bettyrose says:

        My young coworker had to cancel her first trip overseas during all this. I can’t even imagine how awful this is for those missing out on the adventures of youth – too old to live with parents, too young to settle down. I’ve given a lot of thought to what I would have done at several different stages in my life when I didn’t have a consistent home where I could have hunkered down for months on end, bouncing between overcrowded roommate situations and a boyfriend. There were long stretches when each of my parents couldn’t have offered me a home for more than a night or two. I honestly don’t think I could have maintained strict quarantine had this happened in my 20s.

        I hope your son and his GF are able to make their transition and set up home safely for the year or so before we have a vaccine.

  2. Belli says:

    “It seems unlikely that the Sussexes or any member of the royal family will be travelling this summer.”

    But sure, royal reporters, the Sussexes aren’t the ones that get the clicks 😉

    • Louise177 says:

      I was going to say the same thing. Unlikely anybody will be traveling through the summer, even to see the Queen. But somehow it’s scandalous Meghan and Harry won’t.

    • Sofia says:

      Exactly. And it makes others blame them if they’ve not read the full article (so they’re going off the title alone)

  3. Eleonor says:

    To me it makes sense.
    I don’t know if the Queen will find a way to Balmoral, in any case English press will find a way to blame Meghan.

  4. Becks1 says:

    I believed the initial Balmoral story, only because it made sense to me and I sort of think that was always the plan with their move – to spend chunks of time back in the UK, at least initially. I think they will go to the UK a few times a year and the summer makes sense, better weather and it sets up a pattern for when Archie starts school.

    But at any rate, of course they aren’t going this summer. I’m just pleasantly surprised the story makes clear that its due to COVID-19 and not Meghan trying to keep Harry from his family or whatever.

    • Bella says:

      Yeah, nothing surprising here except the non-snidey nature of the article.

      • Em says:

        Don’t they keep Writing articles every year on how they’re gonna go to balmoral every summer ? These reporters should just stop man.

      • sandy says:

        Every year the story is that the Sussexes will be at Balmoral, that the Queen is throwing Meghan a big birthday party … I don’t think, personally, they have ever been there. They use Balmoral/visiting with QEII the same way everyone else in that family does, to show they are close with the monarch personally.

  5. KellyRyan says:

    Medical professionals in my family have said, 18-24 months before we’ll have a viable vaccine. I don’t see H&M traveling out of the US for a few years. Busy at home, possible new baby. A review can be handled with Zoom, Skype, etc.

    • DarlingDiana says:

      I assume Harry and Meghan don’t want to visit the BRF anyway and with Covid this active still, they won’t risk it this summer.
      As far as the one year review, either it will be Skyped if Covid is still rampant and if not, I think it more likely Harry will travel alone if he wants to see his Dad.

    • Ali says:

      @KELLYRYAN can you imagine the Sussexes having another baby in the States?

      It would be hilarious.

      • Kathy36617 says:

        I live for the news! I can see the pearl clutching now! It would certainly drive Randy Andy off the tabloid sheets. Tubby and Scammy would again be making the UK press rounds. Even with Covid 19 they would call Meghan a spiteful witch for forcing the Queen to go through the birth of a great grandchild OUTSIDE OF THE UK. The first Windsor born in America – LA to top it off! Angela Levin would stroke out!

      • KellyRyan says:

        I’m with you. Every action H&M takes supports their choice. Baby boy Archie has dual citizenship. Diana would have been so welcomed in the US. She had so much sympathy and empathy for others and I think she would have loved Meghan. Both are very heart to heart.

    • Nic919 says:

      This makes sense. And even with a viable vaccine, it can only be dispersed to so many people at a time. I suspect we will also see the benefits of privilege once a vaccine is in place.

  6. GR says:

    “What will the world look like in April 2021?” That’s a terrifying thought.

    • wildwaffles says:

      Yup. I have to stop myself from thinking beyond my next home grocery delivery window. Anything else is too much.

      • Scollins says:

        I can’t make myself STOP thinking about traveling to see family again. We missed spring break and Easter and a college graduation this coming weekend. All summer plans cancelled for now. I miss my kids so much I just ache.

      • molly says:

        I’m white knuckling through the end of THIS school year trying to support the distance learning of my kids. I don’t know what I’ll do if they don’t go back to school in the fall.

    • Case says:

      It’s too overwhelming to think beyond the here and now, for me and I’m sure for a lot of people. It’s too big, too scary. I was told today that my company might not have money to employ us beyond the summer. I work remotely and think I’ll be fine finding more remote work, but I worry so much about my family members who work in offices being asked to come back in and being exposed. It’s just…a lot.

  7. S808 says:

    I don’t even see the point in traveling back for the year review when video conference software exists.

    • DarlingDiana says:

      There really isn’t a point unless Harry wants to see his Dad or anyone else in person or just wants to visit his homeland.

  8. Harla says:

    I don’t think that Harry has spent time at Balmoral in years, long before he met Meghan. He seems to spend at least some of his summers in Africa doing conservation work.

  9. Ali says:

    “Ten bucks says the next time Harry and Meghan travel to England is next year, when they’re up for their “one-year review.”

    You will lose that 10 bucks. By April 2021 we will be in the middle class the second wave of covid-19.

  10. Busyann says:

    I actually really liked those lifetime movies about Harry and Meghan. I actually bought them both. Sometimes, when its been a week, I’ll watch them back to back on a Friday. It helps! Lol If I were Meghan and Harry, I would not want my baby anywhere near Great Britain. There were people actually trying to say Archie belonged to the Queen. Heck. No.

    • Ruby_Woo says:

      I really liked the first one but didn’t get round to watching the second one – I wasn’t really feeling the actress in the 2nd movie as Meghan. I might give it a watch though.

      • bettyrose says:

        IKR? I’ve bought both of them, and I prefer the story in the second one, but the actress in the first one was more believable as Meghan. Plenty of the actors were the same in both, so I’m sure there’s some reason she couldn’t return for the 2nd movie, but maybe they’ll get her back for the third?

    • TheOriginalMia says:

      Had no idea there was a 2nd Lifetime movie. I loved the first one. Just saw the trailer for the 2nd one. The resemblance between the new actress and Meghan is uncanny, but also jarring. I loved the original Sussexes. Not sure if I’ll give this movie a go.

      • Noki says:

        I thought i was the few who enjoyed those movies,i have watched the first one a dozen times. The second one i didnt like ,when it comes to bio pics your acting has to be exceptional to pull off of portraying someone you look nothing alike. I hope they get the original actors again.

      • Ginger says:

        The first movie is awesome! I love it! The actor that plays Harry looks so much like the real Harry.

        I didn’t watch the second one because the actors looks nothing like them and the actress said some mean things about Meghan.

      • bettyrose says:

        Wait, what? When did the actress badmouth Meghan? If that’s true, I feel much less bad about saying she didn’t capture Meghan at all. The actress in the first movie could double as Meghan at public events if the need ever arose.

      • Ginger says:

        She doesn’t think Meghan loves Harry that much. She got dragged on twitter for that. She was blocking people for calling her out.

      • bettyrose says:

        That’s interesting. Did she meet and spend time with them preparing for the part? I’ve always assumed these movies were fully authorized and consulted on by members of M & H ‘s inner circles. I know they’re fictional and heavily composite people and events to fit into a brief little film, but they seem respectful of the subjects.

    • swirlmamad says:

      I really liked the movies too, the first more than the second but happily watched them both. I thought the actors from the first movie were the best — I didn’t think the actor who played Harry in the second movie looked anything like him at all nor was especially attractive. Both actresses looked just like Meghan but in the first movie especially — uncanny!! I’ll definitely be watching the 3rd.

      • Noki says:

        In the second one they didnt even bother with Harrys one and the actress did not resemble Meghan at all but ahe did soundlike her.

  11. Ginger says:

    I always heard that Harry hasn’t been to Balmoral in years (since he was 15 or so) Is this true? He seems to spend his time off in the summer in Botswana doing conservation work. The reporters swore they were going to spend Meghan’s birthday there last year and that wasn’t true.

    • notasugarhere says:

      He’s been there annually for quick visits for years. Last time he was photographed was with Eugenie, September 2016, for his birthday party with family.

  12. Ali says:

    The Queen will be spending the summer on Balmoral. Like who cares.

    If the public say anything the palace will leak a story about the Sussexes to distract everyone.

  13. Ruby_Woo says:

    The Queen going to Balmoral is going to be tricky. Earlier this week, the Prime Minister gave a televised announcement confirming that there’ll be an easing of lockdown restrictions.

    The following morning, the devolved parliaments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Island told their constituents NOT to listen to him and that Scotland, Wales and Northern Island are still under the ‘stay at home’ advice. So English people can drive to other places (to exercise) but they cannot enter Wales and Scotland because they are still under stricter restrictions.

    Unless Scotland easies their lockdown rules in the near future, the Queen going up will really piss people as it did when Charles came up and then it was found out that he had Covid-19.

  14. Awkward symphony says:

    I agree with you Kaiser about this story of them visiting lizzy in the summer was not likely. I think its released by courtiers to bully them into visiting but thanx to current situation their plans were unsuccessful.

    I also agree that we may only see them in the UK next year around the said review. Probably just to pick up their stuff from frognore and visit patronages

  15. Smices says:

    I think they’ll return for the Christmas holidays.

    • notasugarhere says:

      I think they’ll skip the royals and spend Christmas in Cali with Doria.

  16. Valiantly Varnished says:

    Lol. Of course they’re not. They were never going to but especially not during a pandemic. June is not that far off and it would be terrible optics to be traveling internationally to visit your petty grandma at her giant vacation castle.

  17. Melissa says:

    “It could mean” “it is expected” “seems unlikely”

    I see Sally in the cubicle on the left is providing ‘sources’ from the palace again.

  18. Yoyo says:

    Harry’s cougar Angela levin, was lamenting the burden on poor Cain and unable’s shoulders, while Harry is living in a house with twelve bedrooms with a pool.
    Cain wanted the spotlight, and now it is all his, the RR are not happy, there is no Meghan or Harry to kick around.
    It is not in the interest of the RR to say that H & M offered to work part time, and not deal with them, the BRF wanted Meghan out, and they got their wish, only Harry left also.

    • Ruby_Woo says:

      OMG! Harry’s cougar – I can’t!!!!

      Levin is actually full blown crazy! I try to avoid for my own mental wellbeing but curiosity got the better of me and I had a look at her twitter and OMG! The tweet where she is noting how many bedrooms and bathrooms his residence has (like its a personal insult to her) and how much ‘good’ he could be doing in the UK!

      Like, does it bother you? Really bother you that he happens to live in a large house with his self-made millionaire wife? Did she really expect him to live in a cardboard box? When the other royals literally live in Palaces living off the tax-payers, shady middle-eastern sheiks and rich paedophiles.

      And the fact that she just mentions Harry – she really cannot handle the thought of Archie and Meghan existing!

      I watched a documentary a while ago about Diana’s step-mum who was quite a big character. Anyway, the step-mum and dad opened their stately house to visitors and also a gift-shop to make extra income to run the house (those houses cost a fortune to maintain). Angela was commenting on the doc and talked about popping down to the gift-shop to basically spy on her. She was so snarky about the fact that Diana’s step-mum would dare to actually generate money herself. It’s like their offended at the thought of making your own money and being self-sufficient.

      • Ginger says:

        People like Angela Levin look down on people that make their own money. When she was interviewed before the wedding she pretty much admitted to stalking Harry at his engagements for a year before she got her interview. He was serious about her not bringing up Meghan and I think she was offended by it. I heard the book isn’t good and she trashes Meghan at the end of it.

  19. Harper says:

    They are really stretching for stories about H&M now.

    As for Petty Betty, this is probably the end of her active reign. Her main daily activities seem to be shaking hands with crowds of people or inviting people into the Buckingham Palace public rooms, none of which will be happening in the near future. She has served for a long time and although a corona-induced retirement wasn’t what she expected, it’s what is.

    • BayTampaBay says:

      The Daily Mail is really sucking today for revenue. A $tory about Princess Anne and Country Life magazine generate less than 200 click$. A $tory about Sophie & Edward stepping up to a larger role while QWII is off the grid generated less than 250 click$ as of an hour ago.

    • RoyalBlue says:

      @harper, I fear what you say is true. Petty Betty is nearing the end of her reign and Prince Charles’ regency is imminent.

      however due to the shit show of the economy thanks to covid, and with the loss of jobs and income, i am not sure how many people will be interested in seeing Cain and Unable do zoom calls for the next 12 months or so. it’s going to get stale fast and people will start to question their relevance if they don’t get to see them play dress up at parades and functions and ooh and aaah over their posing with cute children and babies. the disenfranchised may begin to question why are they paying them a sovereign grant when that money can be allocated to other needy recipients and sectors. it may even be the beginning of a republic.

  20. Dimsum Mum says:

    Can you imagine the field day the press would have if they did visit the UK?
    “Two week quarantine period doing nothing in the UK”
    (not to mention the two week quarantine upon return to the US).

    Nobody’s travelling this summer.
    They’re setting a good example by just staying put.

  21. Em says:

    One of the driving force behind the negativity around Meghan is xenophobia. The fact that she’s American. I am happy archie is able to grow up in a more diverse setting, imagine if he was stuck in the uk and racially or badly treated by palace staff/ courtiers/ press/ family members? That’s exactly what would happen. I hope the sussexes just breeze in and breeze out. That brexit climate isn’t safe for them.

  22. Marivic says:

    If Meghan and PHarry visit the queen and Philip at Balmoral and the old royals get sick of Covid the BM and all haters will definitely point a finger at Meghan for transmitting the virus and endangering the life of both queen and Philip. They will never hear the end of it.

  23. Rianic says:

    I predict a baby before they visit again

    • L4frimaire says:

      I would love that! I so want baby number 2 for them. I think Meghan knows we want that second child. No pressure though 😉.

    • GuestWho says:

      looks around furtively and whispers….

      I think she’s already pregnant. I hate even speculating, but she looked pregnant to me when they were delivering food and again when she did the videos. Her face looks fuller than it did when they were in the UK. Of course, she could be like me and is eating a loaf of bread a day while in lock down…

      If it’s true, I hope they don’t make any official announcement until he or she is born; and that she gets to enjoy every second of this pregnancy without the pressure and abuse.

  24. yinyang says:

    People will complain about carbon footprinting, about them being covidiots, I think a trip once every 2 years would suffice, and daddy can always come visit too.

  25. Abena Asantewaa says:

    Angela Levin, is dangerously obssesed with Harry. The security services should take note. Her hatred for Meghan is on another level. She once said, Meghan was cruel in fedexing her Wedding and Engagement rings back to her ex’- husband, because the guy had no idea, and it broke his heart, according to Angela Levin. I hate Angela Levin. Balmoral is off for all the RF.

  26. Bettyrose says:

    Yaaay for the new Lifetime movie! #trilogy.

  27. Original Jenns says:

    ‘It actually has all the elements of a political/action thriller”. We’ve been watching some classics thrillers like Kiss the Girls and Silence of the Lambs. I would LOVE it is they made a Sussex version of their escape!! We need more thrillers. I was hoping that stuff like Gone Girl and Sharp Objects would kick off some more, but I think they got lost in the superhero takeover this last decade.

    I doubt they will be back any time soon, and if there is an in person, only Harry if it’s safe. They may even extend the review since COVID completely blew up everyone’s plans.

  28. Dinah says:

    The Queen (her office) has neither told nor confirmed to anyone that she has invited Harry and Meghan to spend the summer with her in Scotland. I’ve also seen no confirmation from H&M/their staff of such plan. The story was the next British tabloid fabrication (about Harry and Meghan) as they’re used to. The (international) media should know by now: they need to stop parroting and reprint the British press, especially the tabloid press lies and fabrications – presented as news – unchecked.

    Accuracy and honesty have never been the key qualifications of the British press/media. They hardly practice real journalism. Fact: year after year, the Independent European Media Watchdog h/been branding the British print press as the most unreliable (the correct label: most untrustworthy) of ALL! 27 European countries. Only last year the UK ranked the second worst spot. Imagine, even the Eastern-EU countries have better press. And the British press are not independently regulated. So beware what you read as ‘news’ and ‘facts’ in the British press.

  29. Lisa says:

    Yeah I don’t see them doing any traveling for a good long while especially with Archie.

  30. lili says:

    Actually I believed (before cover) they’d come visit TQ because.. why not?

  31. ArtHistorian says:

    “Liz of House Petty, Queen of Corgis”

  32. Thea says:

    Well the stay at home order for LA County will most likely be extended to July or August, so yeah summer travel plans should be put on hold. My travel plans are on hold.

    • L4frimaire says:

      I was supposed to go to Italy and Med. cruise next month. Who knows when that trip will happen. Not anytime soon, esp. the cruise. At least for the Sussexes, California is a big state, and no one anywhere will be traveling much. If they were at Frogmore, they’d probably feel like they here under house arrest and besieged daily by the lying press. The distance makes a huge difference, even with paps.

  33. Nope says:

    And in other news, I watched 2 eps of Suits. That’s an hour or two I will never get back. What a torpid, steaming pile of mediocre that was! Sorry but MM is no great loss to the acting world. Don’t forget to call me racist y’all.