In what seems to be becoming an annual tradition almost as beloved as the Trooping the Colour itself, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have, once again, found themselves left off the guest list for King Charles' birthday celebration. For the second consecutive year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex received the royal snub to end all snubs.

Trooping the Colour, the grand annual celebration of the British monarch’s birthday, has long been a staple in the royal family’s calendar. But for the pair formerly known as working royals, their invite seems to have gotten permanently lost in the royal mail. Oh, the glamorous life of state-sponsored snubbing!

Let's not forget, the dynamic duo known for stepping back from their official royal duties in 2020 now reside in the sunny climes of California, far from the drizzle and drama of the British Isles. You could say they traded tea and crumpets for green juice and granola. Royal duties? Not on this side of the pond!

In fact, Meghan and Harry last took part in the Trooping the Colour pageantry in 2019 and their most recent appearance was for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022, when they watched the proceedings from a room above Horse Guards Parade. Ah, the sweet spot for non-working royals—kind of like being invited to the party but asked to sit at the kids' table.

Adding to the litany of royal no-shows, Prince Harry flew solo at King Charles’ coronation in May of last year. Maybe he just wanted to avoid the ever-boisterous Buckingham Palace gift shop.

As if the personal stakes weren't high enough, King Charles himself has been undergoing treatment for cancer, adding another layer of tension to an already fraught family dynamic. Imagine juggling chemo sessions and ceremonial duties while managing a family that could give the Montagues and Capulets a run for their money.

Prince Harry managed to make a trip back to London for the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. But, alas, familial bonding was off the agenda as King Charles’ schedule remained too "full" for even a quick cup of tea. Full of what remains a royal mystery.

Some might question whether all is truly lost between the royal family and its California exiles. Or is this royal drama simply a story of crossed wires and timezone differences? After all, who can forget the loud absence of formal invites, cementing the status of Harry and Meghan as the best-known distant relatives in contemporary history?

All jokes aside, Meghan and Harry’s ongoing estrangement from key royal events shows just how high the stakes remain for this splintered family. Theatrics aside, the birthday bash continues, secure in tradition, ceremony, and, of course, the carefully curated guest list.