A former equerry claimed that the Duke already decided to attend the King's Coronation a month ago but delayed confirming it as he had demands for his children.
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has reportedly decided to attend the Coronation of King Charles III on May 6, 2023. Although the Duke was invited in March, he did not confirm their attendance until recently.
Special demands from the Duke
According to a former equerry close to Prince Harry and William, Harry had demands concerning his children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet for attending the King's Coronation. The equerry claimed to be aware of Harry's plans to attend the May 6 ceremony at the beginning of March but said Harry was waiting to figure out how his and Meghan Markle's children would fit into the picture.
Archie, the couple's first child, was born in May 2019, and according to the Mirror, he will turn four on the same day as the Coronation. The publication reports that King Charles III was happy to make a nod to his grandson and raise a glass to him during lunch.
However, it is unclear whether Harry will be present at the lunch, as he is reportedly keen to attend the ceremony and then return to California and his family there. The Dailymail reports:
'The King considered a toast to Archie. But with no member of the Sussex family now due at the lunch, it is highly unlikely he would do in their absence.'
Meghan to stay behind on Coronation
While Harry has confirmed he will attend the King's Coronation on May 6, Meghan Markle will stay behind in California with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
According to royal commentator Kristen Meinzer, it makes sense for one parent to stay home and celebrate Archie's birthday while the other fulfills his royal obligation. She told Insider:
'I think the decision for Harry to go, and for Meghan to stay home with the children on Archie's birthday is a brilliant way to split the difference. As I've said in the past, the primary benefit of attending is the optics; of looking as though they're continuing to do their best on their end — even if the royal family isn't always doing their best on their end.'
Meinzer said that the primary benefit of attending is the optics of looking as though they're continuing to do their best on their end, even if the royal family isn't always doing their best on their end. However, she also noted that the Sussexes must also do what's best for their own little family and their mental health.
'But I've always maintained that the Sussexes must also do what's best for their own little family and their own mental health. It sounds like that's what they'll be doing.'
Family reunion amid rift
Prince Harry's attendance at the King's Coronation has been seen as a significant move towards healing the rift between him and the Royal Family. According to reports, King Charles III is pleased that his youngest son has chosen to come, having been keen to have both Harry and William at the ceremony.
Speaking to Fox News, Kinsey Schofield, host of the To Di For Daily podcast, said the palace's objective is to avoid conflict between Harry and William, who have been on cold war recently:
'We know that palace staff is planning every entry, exit, and seat with the battling brothers in mind. The palace's ultimate objective is to avoid conflict.'
Prince William, whom Harry accused of physically assaulting him when they were young, was reportedly the most hurt by Harry's actions, and the two have not spoken since the Queen's funeral. Despite Harry telling media outlets that he would like to heal the rift with his brother, the tensions between the two have yet to be resolved.
Additionally, Queen Camilla was said to have been upset about being referred to as the villain by Prince Harry in his memoir, Spare. The book, which was released in January, accused his stepmother of leaking stories about the royal family to the media in order to improve her public image.
Prince Harry's attendance at the Coronation ceremony is significant, as it indicates a possible thaw in his relationship with the royal family. Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped down from their senior royal roles in March 2020, citing privacy concerns and media intrusion.
Since then, the couple has been living in California and has been critical of the royal family in various interviews and media appearances. They have accused the royal family of racism and lack of support, which has caused a rift between them and the rest royals.
Read more:
⋙ These Royal family members will not be attending the coronation
⋙ This is where Prince Harry will be staying during the coronation
⋙ Prince Harry will attend coronation of King Charles while Meghan stays home
⋙ King Charles' coronation slammed as 'nonsense' by Matthew Wright in This Morning row
