Seems Prince Harry’s coronation visit to the U.K. may be a short one.
The Duke of Sussex will reportedly be “in and out” of the country for King Charles’s big day on May 6 in just 24 hours, sources told The Sun. The same source said Harry will attend the coronation ceremony and then return to the U.S. to celebrate his son Archie’s fourth birthday, which falls on the same date.
Buckingham Palace confirmed in a statement that Harry would be going the event, while his wife, Megan Markle, will remain in America after much speculation on whether the couple would be in attendance, saying, “Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on May 6th. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.”
As of press time, Harry’s role in the coronation remains unclear, as he is no longer a working royal following his decision to step back from the role three years ago. While celebrations of the historic event will take place over three days, the crowing ceremony itself is slated to take place at Westminster Abbey from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Duke of Sussex is reportedly arriving in London on Friday, May 5, and may take up accommodations at Frogmore Cottage, in Windsor, or at Buckingham Palace. Harry could be on a flight back to the U.S. as early as 2 p.m. or 3 p.m., according to The Sun.
Tensions between Harry and Meghan and the British royal family have been lingering in part because of the couple’s interview with Oprah in 2021, their Netflix docuseries, and Harry’s memoir, Spare. This coronation trip marks Prince Harry’s second visit to the U.K. in 2023, following one other solo visit in March when he attended a hearing in relation to his lawsuit against a UK newspaper group. During that visit, Harry reportedly chose not to visit his father or his brother, Prince William. The crowning ceremony is the first time the Duke of Sussex will be seen in public with other royal family members since Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral last year, which Meghan also attended.
Harry was reportedly open to traveling to England to support his father; the two have allegedly even been in contact leading up to the big day. The monarch is said to be “happy” his son is attending and “understanding” that the Duchess of Sussex would stay home, The Sun reports.
