After much speculation over whether Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would attend King Charles III’s coronation, the couple decided the Prince would support his father at the ceremony, while Meghan would stay home in California to celebrate their son Archie’s 4th birthday. So on Saturday, May 6, Harry arrived to Westminster Abbey in London solo to see his father and stepmother Queen Camilla ascend the throne.
Tensions have been at an all-time high between Harry and his family ever since the release of his bombshell Netflix series with Meghan, and his tell-all memoir Spare were released. It’s been reported there is a line of communication open between Harry and his father, but not with his brother, Prince William.
Harry was on-hand to support his father and wore a custom Dior Men’s morning suit for the occasion, which People previously reported the royal requested to wear instead of his military uniform. The nod to his service to his country was seen through his Afghanistan service medal. He also wore medals for the Golden Jubilee, Diamond Jubilee and Platinum Jubilee.
He walked into the church solo, in between his cousins, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice. He was seated three rows back next to Eugenie’s husband Jack Brooksbank. Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi were also in the same row, as was his cousin’s father, the disgraced Prince Andrew.
A few weeks ago news broke that Meghan would not be attending the royal affair with her husband and would stay home to celebrate Archie’s 4th birthday. This week, royal reporter Omid Scobie, explained that she’s really sitting this one out to avoid the media circus that typically follows the couple.
“People around the Sussexes guided the press at the time that this was very much about Archie’s 4th birthday. I disagree with that to some extent because I also know from friends of hers that she’s protecting her peace as well,” Scobie said on ITV’s This Morning. “She is aware of how much of the spotlight goes on her when she sets even a foot near the story.”
Scobie believed members of the royal family were glad she decided not to attend. “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.”
It’s been reported Harry is eager to get back to California after the ceremony. About his decision to attend, a source previously told People, whatever happens while back in his home country, “he will look back on it and think it is better to come and play his part and say, ‘I saw my father crowned,’ and tell his children about it.”
