Despite his recent attacks against the British monarchy, Prince Harry will attend his father Charles III’s coronation on 6 May in London, but without his wife Meghan or their children, who will remain in California Read More
The response from the Sussexes, who left with a fuss in 2020 to live in the United States, has been eagerly awaited since the start of March. Their presence or absence has been the subject of much speculation in the British media, given that the couple has launched numerous attacks against the royal family in recent months.
Wednesday’s two-sentence statement ended the suspense: “Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that the Duke of Sussex will attend the coronation at Westminster Abbey on 6 May. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.” Archewell, Harry and Meghan’s foundation, confirmed the news in an equally short and understated statement.
Over recent months, at 38 years old, Prince Harry has aired his grievances with his family, first in a Netflix documentary released in December, and most of all in his controversial memoir “The Substitute.” In this hugely successful book, he details the breakdown in his relationships with his father, King Charles III, and his brother William. He specifically mentions a violent quarrel with his elder brother William, the heir to the throne, over his wife Meghan, and accuses Queen Consort Camilla, who will also be crowned on 6 May, of revealing private conversations to the press.
The documentary and memoirs have not done anything to improve the already extremely low popularity of the Sussexes in the United Kingdom. They are consistently targeted by tabloids, which instead adore William and his wife Kate. Meghan is likely to be accused of snubbing the monarchy and the royal family due to her absence from the coronation, as noted by the British Press Association.
The coronation on 6 May falls on the birthday of the couple’s eldest child Archie, who will be celebrating his fourth birthday. According to sources cited by PA, this played a role in Meghan’s decision not to come to London. Harry’s trip to the UK will be brief, and he will not attend any other events related to the coronation over the weekend, according to these sources. He is expected to return quickly to the US, leaving little time for a family reconciliation.
It was not specified on Wednesday if Harry would play a particular role in the ceremony, whether he would join the procession in a carriage or appear on the palace balcony with the royal family. But the response from the Sussexes must have relieved the organisers, who were reportedly “exasperated,” according to the Daily Mirror, and could not finalise the seating plan at Westminster as they were waiting for their decision.
Despite tensions with his son, 74-year-old Charles wished for Harry to attend his coronation, according to sources close to the royal family. Charles succeeded his mother Elizabeth II in September, who died at the age of 96 after a 70-year reign. Around 2,000 people are set to attend his coronation at Westminster Abbey, which will be followed by a giant concert in Windsor, where one of the main residences of the royal family is located, in west London.
Harry and Meghan have returned to the UK only on rare occasions since their departure in 2020, notably to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Duke of Sussex had travelled alone for the funeral of his grandfather, Prince Philip in 2021. Harry also made a surprise appearance in London at the end of March at a hearing against a tabloid. But according to the Press Association, he did not see his father or brother during his visit to the UK.