Prince Harry will attend father’s coronation, Meghan won’t
Britain’s King Charles III, from bottom left, Camilla, the Queen Consort, Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attend the state funeral service of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Abbey, London, Monday Sept 19, 2022. Buckingham Palace says Prince Harry will attend the Coronation service of his father, King Charles III, at Westminster Abbey on May 6, setting aside months of speculation about his presence.
LONDON (AP):
Prince Harry will attend his father’s coronation, Buckingham Palace said Wednesday, ending months of speculation about whether the prince would be welcome after levelling charges of racism and media manipulation at the royal family.
His wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, will remain at the couple’s home in Southern California with their two young children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, the palace said. A nearly identical statement from the Sussex’s representatives confirmed the news.
The May 6 date of the coronation at Westminster Abbey coincides with their son’s birthday.
While the announcement should silence the “will he or won’t he” debate in the British media, it won’t end the royal soap opera swirling around Harry and Meghan as King Charles III prepares for his coronation.
When the prince attended the funerals of his grandfather, Prince Philip, and his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, commentators discussed everything from whether Harry would be allowed to wear his military uniform to exactly where he was seated. And there is always the question of whether he will meet face-to-face with his father and older brother, Prince William.
That intrigue will only be heightened after Harry and Meghan stoked their critique of the royal family in a six-part Netflix series about their decision to step back from royal duties three years ago, which was followed by Harry’s decision to reveal family secrets in his bestselling memoir “Spare.”
Harry and Meghan, who is biracial, have alleged she faced racist attitudes from both the palace and the U.K. press. The treatment contributed to their decision to leave the country.