Kate, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William took pride of place alongside the Queen and other senior royals at the Commonwealth Day Service in Westminster Abbey. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were reunited with the pair in public for the first time since they announce their royal exit. While the service was the last engagement Meghan and Harry will attend before relinquishing their royal status, they were not given front row seats for one very simple reason.

Kate, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William are the future Queen Consort and King of Britain and as such form part of the monarchy’s inner core.

Royal tradition dictates the most senior royals sit closest to the altar which is why Wills and Kate were in the front row alongside the Queen, Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.

Meghan and Prince Harry were seated in the row behind them beside Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex.

Some have interpreted the seating plan to be a hint that Sophie and Edward could take over from Meghan and Harry once they cease to be senior royals on March 31.

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Sophie is said to be the Queen’s favourite daughter-in-law and arrived ahead of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry despite the service being their last ever engagement as senior royals.

While the reason for Sophie and Edward arriving before the Sussexes has not been confirmed, it could be a show of favouritism from the Queen, 93.

Sophie is dedicated to royal duty and regularly represents the Crown abroad – last week she became the first-ever royal to pay an official visit to South Sudan where she raised awareness around women’s and girls’ rights.

After Prince William and Kate, Sophie and Edward are the next youngest working royal couple and the most obvious choice to take on duties left behind by Meghan and Harry.

Prince William and Kate were originally due to take part in the Queen’s procession which marks the start of the Commonwealth service.

However, they were struck from the ceremony in a last minute update which saw them head directly to their seats in the same manner as less senior royals.

The couples were captured chatting together in a sweet moment ahead of the service and some have interpreted Kate and Will’s absence from the parade as a sign they wished to be seen as being on good terms with Meghan and Harry ahead of their departure.

While Prince William and Harry’s relationship has been plagued by rumours of a rift for months, they seemed at ease with one another as the younger brother’s duties came to a close.

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The service was attended by representatives from each of the Commonwealth’s 54 nations which the Queen is said to think of as a family.

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams explained why the Sussex’s last ever engagement will have been poignant for the Queen.

He said: “The Queen compares the Commonwealth to a family and it is ironic that the Service in Westminster Abbey will almost certainly be the last time the Sussexes will appear on an official occasion with other senior royals.”

He added: “Harry and Meghan want independence, self-sufficiency, security and to keep their patronages though it is sad that Harry, an Afghanistan veteran, will not, foreseeably, be wearing uniform though his military links will be kept vacant for a year after which the recent arrangement between the Queen and the Sussexes will be re-examined.

“They are both ceasing to be Commonwealth Youth Ambassadors but keeping their posts with the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust.”

Mr Fitzwilliams added: “It is almost unbelievable that this has happened less than two years after their marriage, a symbolically pivotal moment for the monarchy.

“Their unhappiness as senior royals, Harry’s mental condition of which he has spoken openly and their loathing of press intrusion, led to the release of the sudden statement about stepping down as senior royals in January.”

According to Mr Fitzwilliams, the way Meghan and Harry first announced their intentions to step down was “scandalously negligent” and will have hurt the Queen.

He said: “Not telling the Queen and others was scandalously negligent and extremely hurtful.”

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