Photo: Neil Mockford
Prince Harry will be attending the coronation next month – without Meghan. The couple confirmed on Wednesday morning that the Duke of Sussex will be in London for the historic event on 6 May, but that the Duchess of Sussex would remain at their home in California in order to celebrate the fourth birthday of Prince Archie.
“The Duke of Sussex will attend the coronation service at Westminster Abbey on 6 May. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet,” a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex told Vogue. Buckingham Palace also confirmed the news in a statement.
The news comes after months of speculation on whether or not the two would receive an invitation to the official crowning of the next monarch, following a period of tension between the Sussexes and the rest of the royal family.
The decision of Harry and Meghan to participate in a Netflix series – which included frank discussions of the challenges their relationship faced not just in the face of heavy scrutiny by the British tabloid press, but also from within the royal institution itself – was reported to have drawn the family’s ire. Following the two-part release of the docuseries in December 2022, however, both Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace declined to comment.
The following month, Prince Harry released his best-selling, bombshell memoir Spare, in which he alleged his brother physically assaulted him and that his stepmother, the Queen Consort, leaked sensitive information to the press, casting their appearance at the coronation further in doubt.
The Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on the Long Walk at Windsor Castle on September 10, ahead of the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. Photo: Getty
Finally, in early March, the Sussexes confirmed they had been asked to vacate their home of Frogmore Cottage. It is understood that while their future at Frogmore is uncertain, Harry will be allowed to stay at their UK home during the coronation celebrations.
Yet despite these frictions, it appears there will be a Windsor reunion this spring, even if it will be just Prince Harry making the journey. The last time Harry and Meghan were seen in public with other members of the royal family was at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, with the Waleses and the Sussexes putting on a united front for the sombre occasion. The two couples made an appearance on 10 September ahead of the funeral to collect flowers from well-wishers on The Long Walk at Windsor Castle, before walking together behind the Queen’s coffin while it was transferred from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall on 14 September.
It is unknown what role, if any, Harry will play on the occasion of King Charles’s coronation, since he no longer holds any formal royal responsibilities. Even without Meghan‘s presence, however, one thing is for certain: it will be a closely watched family reunion.
Originally published on Vogue.co.uk.
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