Meghan Markle Prince Harry King Charles coronation
Will Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend the coronation? Pictured: the couple arrive on the long Walk at Windsor Castle arrive to view flowers and tributes to HM Queen Elizabeth on September 10, 2022 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

Since the release of Harry’s tell-all memoir, Spare, tensions between Meghan Markle and Prince Harry and the royal family have only intensified. And with the coronation of King Charles on May 6 just around the corner, questions about the couple’s attendance have been of peak speculation. Though initial sources confirmed that Meghan would not be joining in on the historical moment due to the date coinciding with her son Archie’s fourth birthday, Omid Scobie, the royal reporter who co-authored the Sussex’s biography Finding Freedom, has explained the real reason she’s sitting this one out.

In an interview on ITV’s This Morning, Scobie gave us the full scoop on Harry and Meghan’s plans, explaining that Harry will be “in and out” for his father’s coronation ceremony, while Meghan is trying to avoid the media circus that her presence typically draws.

From what Scobie has learned from his sources close to the duchess, Meghan isn’t really just staying behind for Archie. “People around the Sussexes guided the press at the time that this was very much about Archie’s fourth birthday. I disagree with that to some extent because I also know from friends of hers that she’s protecting her peace as well,” he said. “She is aware of how much of the spotlight goes on her when she sets even a foot near the story.”

“I think a lot of that, although it’s often portrayed as intentional that she wants to steal the spotlight, in this case, if she had simply come over and stood next to her husband, I would imagine the commentary and the narrative on the day would be very different for the days to follow.”

Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Prince William and Kate Middleton
Will Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend the coronation? Pictured: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge watch a flypast to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on July 10, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

Scobie theorised that some members of the royal family are pleased that Meghan will not be around. “I would say so [that some members of the family are quite relieved Meghan isn’t going],” he explained. “And I would put it down to the fact that so much of the attention then goes on someone who they would rather the attention didn’t go onto. And if you look back at some of Harry and Meghan’s biggest problems, it was all down to the fact that everyone was always talking about them, the attention was always on them at times when it shouldn’t have been.”

The royal reporter also spoke about the current state of the relationship between Harry and his father and brother.

“Despite the pain that he’s experienced from his own family, he still cares for them,” he told the outlet. “So much can happen over time, and I don’t think he’d ever want to look back and not been there.” He also affirmed that a line of communication between Harry and his father is very much intact, but that communication with his brother, Prince William, has been minimal.

As for Harry, it was confirmed that he wouldn’t play a major role in the ceremony. “[He’ll] do what’s asked of him. I believe that he’s open to the fact that if something’s asked of him on the day, then that could change things, but with the timing of the trip, he’s keen to be back in California with his own family as well. It’s sort of juggling the two families, really.”

You can watch Omid Scobie’s full interview in the video below.