Prince Harry arrived at the coronation of his father alone.
His wife, Meghan Markle, chose to stay in California with their two children, Archie and Lilibet.
But despite entering the halls of Westminster Abbey solo, he was soon joined by his equally controversial uncle, Prince Andrew, and beloved cousins Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
In a show of solidarity, Prince Harry arrived at the coronation with cousins Beatrice and Eugenie alongside disgraced uncle Andrew.
(Image: Getty)Buckingham Palace confirmed the news of the Duke of Sussexes solo visit to Westminster Abbey in mid-April after weeks of speculation.
“Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on May 6th,” the Palace wrote in its statement.
“The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.”
The sudden announcement put an end to speculation regarding the Sussexes involvement in the historic coronation ceremony, which is the same day as Prince Archie’s fourth birthday. Many royal enthusiasts were starting to believe that the lack of definitive response from the couple showed all signs of a royal snub.
Prince Harry’s recent appearances in London’s High Court for an ongoing legal battle with the Daily Mail was the first time the Prince was spotted in England since the funeral of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022.
Speculation surrounding the Sussexes attendance at the coronation came after a statement from an official spokesperson for Prince Harry who confirmed he had received an email from his father’s office regarding the coronation, but that they would not disclose whether or not they would be in attendance.
Simpler times with the family.
(Image: Getty)Royal expert Christine Ross previously told Express.co.uk that she “suspect[s] the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will attend the coronation, and it will be up to royal planning committees to ensure the focus remains on King Charles III.”
It was suggested the Sussexes role would be out of the spotlight and less public face-time as a result of the polarising reaction they received during the celebration of the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Although Meghan will not be attending alongside Prince Harry, it is believed that he may still play a less public role.
While some pundits believe that the reunion of the Prince and the new King will serve as a great benefit for the coronation, others are not as convinced.
4-year-old Charles alongside Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and Princess Margaret at Queen Elizabeth II’s 1953 coronation.
(Image: Getty)“What they’re really trying to do is turn the King’s coronation, the most important day in the life of Charles III into a sideshow, into a reality TV circus,” GB News host Dan Wootton told Sky News Australia.
Wootton also went as far as to suggest that the King rescind the invitation, given that the couple ‘have had weeks’ to reply, arguing “if King Charles had any common sense he would say enough is enough now.”
This comment came as a response to Prince Harry and Meghan’s alleged list of coronation demands, including the formal acknowledgement of their children, Princess Archie and Princess Lilibet, on their invitation, as well as permission to stand alongside the members of the royal family after the ceremony on the Buckingham Palace balcony.
Although Prince Harry and Meghan’s attitudes towards the coronation remain highly speculative at this point, only time will tell if the Prince is welcomed into the proceedings with open arms or if he will be ostracised to the back stalls of Westminster Abbey.
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