Prince Harry will go to King Charles' coronation without Meghan Markle or their kids, Buckingham Palace says
"The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet," Buckingham Palace said on Wednesday.
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- Prince Harry will attend King Charles' coronation without Meghan Markle or their children.
- Buckingham Palace announced the news on Wednesday.
- Meghan and their children, Archie and Lilibet, will remain in California, the palace said.
After months of speculation, it's official: Prince Harry will attend King Charles' coronation without Meghan Markle or their children.
In a statement sent to Insider on Wednesday, Buckingham Palace said it was "pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on 6th May."
"The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet," it added.
King Charles' coronation falls on the same day as Archie's 4th birthday. According to royal author Omid Scobie, that "played a factor in the couple's decision" for Meghan to stay behind with him and 1-year-old Lilibet.
—Omid Scobie (@scobie) April 12, 2023
The announcement by Buckingham Palace ends months of speculation over whether Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would attend following the controversy that surrounded their Netflix docuseries, "Harry & Meghan," and Harry's memoir "Spare," which was released in January.
Prince Harry and Meghan were officially invited to King Charles' coronation in March, a representative for the couple confirmed to the BBC at the time.
Royal and PR experts told Insider's Samantha Grindell that it was a smart move by Charles to invite the Duke and Duchess of Sussex despite all the drama.
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"The coronation highlights someone who has worked to try, despite 'Spare' and other background noise, to bring the family together in a careful way," celebrity brand management expert Eric Schiffer told Insider. "This shows a lot of maturity by the king. And it's consistent with what a good father would do."
When asked during an ITV interview in January if he would attend the coronation, Prince Harry said "the ball is in their court," seemingly referencing the royal family.
Royal expert Kristen Meinzer told Insider it was in Harry and Meghan's best interest to attend the coronation.
"If they choose not to go, I think they know the world will be watching and there'll be a lot of questions about why they're not there," Meinzer said. "The main benefit for them is just the optics of looking like they will be continuing to do their best on their end, even if the royal family is not always doing the best on their end for them."
Schiffer said the coronation also presents Harry and Meghan with a chance to remind people they are still part of the royal family even though they are no longer working royals, "and that the pain that Harry has shared from his past didn't preclude him from participation."
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Prince Harry has not seen his father or older brother Prince William since Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in September.
The brothers walked side by side during the funeral procession, and surprised many when they did an impromptu walkabout at Windsor Castle with their wives to speak with mourners after news of the Queen's death broke.
Many saw it as a reunion of the "Fab Four," but royal expert Marlene Koenig told Insider at the time that she didn't believe anything had changed between the two couples.
"I don't think there's been a reconciliation," Koenig said. "I'm sure it was insanely uncomfortable for all of them."
In both his Netflix docuseries and memoir, Prince Harry spoke at length about his relationship with William and Kate Middleton, as well as his father Charles and stepmother Camilla, who will be referred to as Queen Camilla following the coronation.
Roya Nikkhah, a royal editor for The Sunday Times, reported in December that William had cut off all contact with Harry following the Netflix docuseries and had no plans to speak to him again.
It remains to be seen how the royal family will act together on May 6. But there's one thing we know for sure — Meghan will be watching at home.