The world is eagerly awaiting the official coronation of King Charles III in a ceremony that’s been set for May 6th, but with the event only three months away, an invitation hasn’t been sent out to the “black sheep” of the royal family – Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. With relations between the Duke of Sussex and his father generally strained these days and tensions running high after the release of Harry’s memoir Spare, the question lies in whether or not the couple is invited to the coronation at all – and what will it mean if they aren’t?
Relations between Harry & Meghan and the rest of the royal family have been strained for some time now, ultimately leading to Harry and his wife deciding to “step back” from their royal duties in early 2020, leading to diminished contact between Harry, his brother Prince William, and their father, who is now King Charles III, for over a year. However, with the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September of last year, the royal family gathered together – despite the tensions in the air – for her state funeral, and will presumably have to do the same thing for Charles’ coronation – that is, if Harry and Meghan ever get their invite.
A palace insider has told PEOPLE Magazine that the royal family intends to send Harry and Meghan an invitation, with sources claiming that Charles wants to invite his son to the “momentous occasion,” but the couple has stated that they haven’t received an invite yet and there has been “no movement towards reconciliation” on the part of the greater royal family. When asked about his father’s coronation in an interview with ITV, Harry gave the following statement:
“There’s a lot that can happen between now and then. But, you know, the door is always open. The ball is in their court. There’s a lot to be discussed, and I really hope that they are willing to sit down and talk about it.”
The Royal Family Intends to Invite Harry & Meghan
For his part, Charles has stated that he would like the entire matter to calm down before his coronation, even as the royal family finds themselves facing a whole new set of issues with the release of Harry’s memoir Spare last month, which, predictably, didn’t cast the royal family in a great light. Despite all the tensions, new and old, sources say that Charles would like Harry and Meghan to attend the coronation, at least in part because if they aren’t invited to the event – or otherwise don’t attend – it’ll cause a stain on Charles’ new reign that will follow the king for a long time.
“If they don’t sort it out, it will always be part of the King’s reign and how he has left his family disjointed,” a source told PEOPLE. “He has had a reputation as a distant parent, and it would be awful for him for that to continue.”
Hugo Vickers, a historian and friend of the royal family has also spoken on the issue, stating that Harry and Meghan will probably be extended an invitation but that they probably won’t accept it.
“Harry has made it clear that he has certain conditions before he will accept any invitation,” he told Page Six, likely referencing the apology Harry has requested from the royal family for their treatment of himself and his wife. “It is always possible to reconcile if both parties are willing to do so … but I don’t think the Harry side will budge.”
Whether or not Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be invited to the coronation of King Charles III ultimately remains to be seen, as does the couple’s reaction and the consequences of both party’s actions and decisions. What do you think – will Harry and Meghan be invited to the coronation? Will they attend or not? Let us know in the comments!