The royal privilege Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex missed out on as King Charles made clear statement

There’s a royal privilege Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex missed out on as King Charles made a clear statement. 

• The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh’s children didn’t join them on the Buckingham Palace balcony at Trooping the Colour this year.
• King Charles could be seen to have sent a message about the importance of working royals as the future of the monarchy with his balcony line-up.
• This royal news comes as Prince William’s subtle tribute to an absent royal in his Father’s Day post might make you a little emotional. 

Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex might not be high up in the royal line of succession, however they’ve regularly been glimpsed at important family events, from the King’s coronation to Christmas at Sandringham. But there’s a royal privilege Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex missed out on at Trooping the Colour 2023 as King Charles sent a clear message with the royals who appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony.

During Queen Elizabeth’s reign it was full with members of the immediate and extended Royal Family, but her last Trooping the Colour switched things up. In 2022 only working royals and their younger children were given this privilege and King Charles took this one step further this year. 

He was joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales, Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Anne and Sir Timothy, the Duke of Kent and the Duke and Duchess of Kent. The only non-working royals were Prince George, Charlotte and Louis, whilst Lady Louise and James weren’t there.

Of course, they could’ve possibly been inside the palace or simply been unable to attend due to prior commitments. Either way Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie’s children weren’t on the balcony. This might’ve perhaps come as a surprise to fans as last year Queen Elizabeth made an exception for Lady Louise and James, just as she did for the Wales kids. 

The Edinburghs’ children also joined King Charles on the balcony at the coronation just last month. The decision not to have them on the balcony at Trooping the Colour - if they were actually available to attend - could have highlighted how King Charles sees the future of the monarchy.

King Charles has long been surrounded by rumors that he wanted to “streamline” the monarchy. By limiting the Trooping the Colour balcony appearance to just working royals and his grandchildren who are the children of a future King, he could’ve been making a statement about how working royals are the focus.

After all, working royals are the ones supporting His Majesty, undertaking a busy schedule of engagements, and so it would perhaps make sense that they would appear prominently with the King. Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh previously told The Sunday Times that Lady Louise and James are being raised with the knowledge they probably won’t be working royals.

“We try to bring them up with the understanding they are very likely to have to work for a living,” she declared.

So whilst the balcony appearance is a privilege Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex missed out on at Trooping the Colour, it might perhaps make sense given their future paths. It also doesn’t necessarily mean that fans won’t get to see Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie’s children at some royal events like the Easter Sunday service going forward.