Will Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Attend King Charles III’s Coronation? | UK News
The forthcoming service – the first such ceremony since Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 – is intended “to reflect the monarch’s role today and look to the future, while being rooted in long-standing tradition and pageantry,” according to Buckingham Palace.
And the celebrations will continue throughout the weekend, with an additional bank holiday on May 8th and a special coronation concert at Windsor Castle, which will be broadcast on the BBC on Sunday May 7th.
The coronation is attended by other royals and dignitaries from around the world, as well as a whole host of famous faces.
But the only question everyone still has is whether or not Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could attend – especially now that the deadline for RSVPs has passed.
So can we expect to see the couple at the coronation?
Will Prince Harry Attend King Charles III’s Coronation?
Prince Harry will be present at the coronation, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.
A statement from the palace read: “Buckingham Palace is delighted to confirm that the Duke of Sussex will attend the coronation service at Westminster Abbey on May 6.”
However, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, will not be present, instead staying at her home in California to look after her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
It has also been confirmed that Harry will not be staying for the coronation concert on Sunday 7th May.
Instead, he’s flying home to celebrate his son Archie’s fourth birthday – which is on the same day as the coronation.
A royal source told The Mirror: “After much back and forth, Harry said he would be returning for the King’s coronation, but it will only be a passing visit.
“The organizers have been told that Harry will not be attending the concert with the rest of the royal family, which is a great shame as it will be such a spectacular event.”
The visit could mark the first time the Duke of Sussex has seen his family since making explosive claims in his memoir Spare.
Months of speculation ensued as to whether the royal couple would attend after they stayed be calm if they would come.
A royal source said earlier this year the couple were “close” to announcing their plans in relation to attending the event – despite the deadline for RSVPs, which expired on Monday.
Sources said the Duke of Sussex has “many questions about how the event will go” but is ready to finalize his plans for the ceremony.
Previous reports have suggested the couple were “involved” in planning the ceremony, with a source telling the Daily Mail: “No one knows for sure if that means they’ve definitely accepted – it could of course just in case be you do it – but it’s clearly not a “no”.
Harry and Meghan’s relationship with the King and Prince of Wales has remained strained following the release of the prince’s autobiography Spare in January this year.
Revelations angering the royal family from the memoir include criticism of Charles’s parenting style, accused William of assaulting him and branded Camilla a “dangerous” woman.
Although the royal family has not commented on any of the allegations, the king is said to have been “hit hard” by the allegations.
The couple have since been evicted from their UK home, Frogmore Cottage. They were reportedly told to leave on January 11, the day after the memoir was published.
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