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Plans and preparations are underway for King Charles III’s coronation on May 6. Some of the questions surrounding the event were about whether Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would be attending and who will be featured on the Buckingham Palace balcony with the new monarch. Well both of those questions have been answered as we now know Harry will attend the ceremony without his wife and all the working royals will stand on the balcony with the king.

But for a few of those working royals, this appearance will likely mark one of the last times we’ll see them and therefore will be a final curtain call and thank you for their service.

The Duke of Gloucester and Duchess of Gloucester, Duke of Kent, Princess Anne, Camilla Parker Bowles, now-King Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, Kate Middleton, Prince William, and other members of the royal family the Buckingham Palace balcony
The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Prince Alexandria, the Duke of Kent, now-King Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William, and other members of the royal family on the Buckingham Palace balcony | Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The royals who will appear on the balcony

Because it was decided that the balcony appearance would be reserved for working royals only, Prince Harry will not join other members of the Firm there.

The final group who will be on the famous balcony with King Charles include Queen Camilla (formerly Camilla Parker Bowles), the Prince of Wales and Princess of Wales (formerly known as Kate Middleton) with their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Charles’ brother Prince Edward and his wife the Duchess of Edinburgh (formerly Sophie, Countess of Wessex) will also be there as will the king’s sister Princess Anne and her husband Timothy Laurence.

The choice to include Laurence has been met with some controversy because he is not a working royal. However, he has been married to Anne since 1992 and has accompanied his wife to many of her engagements over the years.

A final curtain call and thank you

The Duke of Gloucester and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent, and Princess Alexandra watch a flypast on the Buckingham Palace Balcony
The Duke of Gloucester and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent, and Princess Alexandra watch a flypast on the Buckingham Palace Balcony | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
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Rounding out the 15 royals who will stand on the balcony are Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s cousins the Duke of Kent with his sister Princess Alexandra, as well as the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. The Mirror reported that they were some of the late queen‘s most-trusted relatives and so Charles asked them to join the family on the balcony.

A source told the publication: “The balcony moment will be the king’s final presentation of a slimmed down monarchy, which of course will be even further slimmed down once the Gloucesters, Duke of Kent, and Princess Alexandra finally step away from public life and into their well-earned retirements. It is a final thank you for them and a nod to their support of his mother during her 70-year reign.”

The Duke of Kent and his sister are both deep into their 80s and have been experiencing “individual health problems,” therefore their presence on the balcony cannot be confirmed until that day. They did stand on the balcony with the queen back in June 2022 during Trooping the Color.

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