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Meghan Markle will not return to the UK for the unveiling of Princess Diana's memorial statue on July 1.

ITV Royal Producer Lizzie Robinson tweeted: "Meghan will not fly to the UK to join Harry for the unveiling of a statue of his late mother Princess Diana on July 1st, a source confirmed after a US website claimed she would be attending."

Prince Harry is expected to join his brother William for the memorial event on what would have been their mother's 60th birthday.

Royal pundit Phil Dampier had warned that Meghan's presence would make the ceremony into a "circus".

He claimed that the birth of her daughter was a "perfect excuse" not to attend.

He told the Sun: “In the unlikely event she did come, it would turn into a circus and detract from the point of the unveiling, which is to remember Diana.

“This is the best opportunity for William and Harry to repair their relationship, and it may be better for the brothers to sort things out between them on their own."

He added he "very much doubts" that she would and that the birth of her second child Lilibet was the "perfect excuse" to take another "swipe" at the Royal Family.

"The birth of Lilibet gives her a perfect excuse not to come," the pundit said.

“It may be seen as a swipe at the Royal Family, but it will just be added to an already long list."

It comes amid speculation that Prince Harry, 36, won't attend the ceremony amid tensions with his family.

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The event would be the first time he's seen brother William face-to-face since their meeting after his grandfather's funeral.

Daily Mirror royal editor Russell Myers told the Pod Save The Queen podcast the Duchess of Cambridge may step in instead.

"Maybe Kate will step in to not have William do it on his own," he said.

But Roya Nikkhah, the Royal Editor at The Sunday Times, told Kay Burley on Sky: "I think we can expect to see him travel within the next few weeks and he is due to unveil that statue."

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The ceremony is being held on what would have been the late Princess of Wales' 60th birthday.

Harry and Meghan have accused the Royal Family of racism and neglect in a string of public interviews this year.

They started with their bombshell Oprah tell-all aired on March 8.

Harry has also opened up in his new five-part AppleTV+ docuseries, The Me You Can't See, accusing his family of "total silence" and "neglect" when Meghan was suicidal.

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He also claimed his father made him "suffer" as a child and insisted he would not be "bullied into silence" when he alleged The Firm "trapped" and smeared both he and Meghan.

Mr Dampier added: "It wouldn’t surprise me if we don’t see Meghan for some time."

“I don’t think she is popular with the royals or the public in the UK anymore and I think she will prefer to stay in California with her two young children."

The Sussexes' representative has been approached for comment.

• ITV
• Meghan Markle
• Prince Harry
• Princess Diana
• Twitter

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