Queen Elizabeth to attend UK Jubilee celebrations, but snubs for Andrew and Harry
"Her majesty is looking forward to the weekend and will be taking part in the celebrations, but her presence will not be confirmed until much nearer to the time or even on the day itself."
May 7, 2022, 7:13 am

Queen Elizabeth to attend UK Jubilee celebrations, but snubs for Andrew and Harry

Queen Elizabeth has carried out more than 21,000 engagements. She has visited over 100 countries. She speaks fluent French and has owned more than 30 corgis and dorgis/The Royal Family Twitter account

The USnews reported, citing Reuters, Buckingham Palace said on Friday (May 6) that Queen Elizabeth plans to attend major celebrations to mark her 70 years on the British throne next month, but two out-of-favour royals, Princes Andrew and Harry, will be excluded from one traditional event.

The 96-year-old, Britain's longest-reigning monarch, marked seven decades as queen in February, and four days of "Platinum Jubilee" events to recognise that landmark are being held at the start of June.

Elizabeth has been struggling with mobility issues, meaning most of her recent public engagements have had to be cancelled, but Buckingham Palace said she did plan to be at a number of events.

A palace spokesperson said: "Her majesty is looking forward to the weekend and will be taking part in the celebrations, but her presence will not be confirmed until much nearer to the time or even on the day itself."

𝟏𝟗𝟗𝟓: Queen Elizabeth meets veterans attending a concert held in celebration of the 50th anniversary of VE Day at Buckingham Palace/The Royal Family Twitter account

The four days of events start on June 2 with the annual "Trooping the Colour" military parade in central London, followed by a thanksgiving service at St Paul's Cathedral, a concert outside Buckingham Palace, and a pageant through the British capital on subsequent days.

One feature of all major royal occasions is the gathering of the royal family to wave at crowds from the palace balcony. But, the queen has decided neither her son Prince Andrew nor grandson Prince Harry will be there this time.

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Andrew's stock has plummeted after he settled a U.S. lawsuit in which he was accused of sexually abusing Virginia Giuffre when she was a teenager in February.

He had already stepped down from public duties because of his connections to the late convicted U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and has been stripped of military titles and royal patronages and is no longer known as "His Royal Highness".

Harry, younger son of heir Prince Charles, also gave up royal duties and lost his patronages after moving with his American wife Meghan to Los Angeles, from where they have delivered barbs and accusations of racism against the royal household.

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The palace spokesperson said: "After careful consideration, the queen has decided this year's traditional Trooping the Colour balcony appearance ... will be limited to her majesty and those members of the royal family who are currently undertaking official public duties on behalf of the queen."

There has been much speculation in the British press about whether Harry, who has been in a dispute with the government over security arrangements that caused him to miss his grandfather Prince Philip's memorial service in March, would return for the Jubilee.

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His spokesperson confirmed he would be there with Meghan and their two children, son Archie and daughter Lilibet, who was named after the queen. The spokesperson said in a statement that the family was "excited and honoured" to be attending.

A palace source had said Harry, Meghan and his children remained "much loved members of the family" and that those absent from the balcony moment "will be invited to events".

Source: usnews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
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Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”