The “will they or won’t they?” controversy about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s presence at King Charles’ Coronation on May 6 at Westminster Abbey in London continues, much as it did over the couple’s presence at the Golden Jubilee until they attended the ceremony last June.
That is an endlessly complex topic. To start with, May 6 is also the fourth birthday of Harry and Meghan’s son, Archie, which delays their travel from the U.S. to the U.K even without, you know, everything else which cannot be understated.
Everything else, of course, refers to the long-running family feuds, which have been exacerbated by what has occurred since the family’s Golden Jubilee: The Queen’s death in September; the couple’s eponymous six-part Netflix docuseries, which debuted in December; and Harry’s explosive memoir, Spare, which released the following month, along with a slew of interviews that did nothing to mend fences between Harry and the rest of his family. Whew. It’s exhausting.
It puts Harry “in a predicament,” according to The Independent, and that’s, to put it mildly. Despite everything, Charles is still Harry’s father, and this is one of the most significant days of Charles’ life one he has been waiting for more than 74 years. According to The Telegraph, Harry is considering a “million different variables” over whether he and Meghan should attend the ceremony in two and a half months.
“Harry is reportedly considering how the British public will react to him and Meghan attending the Coronation, as well as whether their decision to skip it might be perceived as a snub,” The Independent reports.
According to The Telegraph, Harry is aware that May 6 will be “pretty much the most important day” in his father’s life. The friend went on to say that Harry wants to be by Charles’ side as he is made King and that he also wants to mend his relationships with other members of the royal family.
Earlier this week, a source close to the royal family told The Daily Mail that Harry and Meghan will “definitely” attend the Coronation, but that no reconciliation discussions will take place.
The following are some of the things to consider. Harry and Meghan will be invited, the Palace is frantically trying to broker peace negotiations, and even the Archbishop of Canterbury has been brought in to help. And, while Harry and Meghan request an apology from the Palace, that has yet to come, and Harry’s wish for a meeting with Charles may also not happen.
The royal family, on the other hand, expects Harry and Meghan to attend and is given incentives to do so. If they do reach a deal or reunite, Harry and Meghan will most likely have a supporting role at the ceremony, similar to the Golden Jubilee, with no Buckingham Palace balcony appearance with the working members of the royal family.