Prince Harry is confirmed to be attending the coronation of his father, King Charles III, next month. However, Meghan Markle will give the event a miss and stay in California with the couple’s children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
The development was confirmed by Buckingham Palace on April 12th. Over the last few weeks, there had been a lot of speculations about the royal couple’s presence at the coronation after the Palace officially extended the invitation at the beginning of March.
Prince Harry will Attend King Charles III’s Coronation without Meghan Markle
The crowning ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla is set to take place on May 6 at London’s Westminster Abbey. On Wednesday, Buckingham Palace released a statement announcing that Prince Harry will attend the ceremony while Markle will remain in California.
“Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on 6th May. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet,” read the statement.
As per a source, Prince Harry ‘wanted to be at the service to support his father at this important moment in his life.’ The coronation will also include a concert at Windsor Castle and a volunteer day; however, the Duke is not expected to attend any event except for the crowning ceremony. It remains to be seen whether he will join the King and the Queen on the Buckingham Palace balcony after the coronation.
Buckingham Palace Invited the Couple at the Beginning of March
The news of the invite being sent out to the couple first came out on March 5. “I can confirm The Duke has recently received email correspondence from His Majesty’s office regarding the coronation. An immediate decision on whether The Duke and Duchess will attend will not be disclosed by us at this time,” a source revealed at the time.
Ever since there had been curiosity about the couple’s response to the invitation. While Harry decided to attend the event, Markle reportedly wanted to stay in California for the fourth birthday celebration of their son, Archie.
“I understand that Archie’s fourth birthday (also on May 6) played a factor in the couple’s decision. Expect it to be a fairly quick trip to the UK for Prince Harry, who will only be attending the coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey,” said royal commentator and author Omid Scobie.
“The Door is Always Open,” Harry had Earlier said About the Coronation
The royal family and Prince Harry and Meghan have not been on very good terms in the last few months, especially after the release of the couple’s Netflix documentary and Harry’s tell-all memoir. During an interview about his memoir in January, the Prince spoke about the coronation.
“There’s a lot that can happen between now and then. But, you know, the door is always open. The ball is in their court. There’s a lot to be discussed, and I really hope that they are willing to sit down and talk about it,” he said at the time. Meanwhile, King Charles reportedly wanted the situation to calm down before the coronation.
“It is such a momentous occasion for Charles, and he would want his son to be at the coronation to witness it. He would like to have Harry back in the family. If they don’t sort it out, it will always be part of the King’s reign and how he has left his family disjointed,” an insider revealed.
For more news and updates, keep watching this space.
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