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It’s still unknown whether Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will put on a brave face for King Charles’ big day.
A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex recently told the BBC that there’s no update on whether they will be attending the upcoming coronation or not.
Charles, Harry’s father, is set to be crowned on May 6. He ascended to the throne after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in September.
Despite the couple staying silent, Christopher Andersen told Fox News Digital that “it’s not too late.”
It’s still unclear whether the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will travel across the pond for King Charles’ coronation in May. (Matt Dunham – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
“It’s not too late for Harry to put on his big boy pants and go,” said the author of “The King: The Life of Charles III.” “This is his father, after all, and there will be no more important occasion in Charles’ life. I think if Harry goes, he will want Meghan to attend as well. Going solo might imply that Harry has chosen his family over his wife, and above all else, the Sussexes want to make it clear they are an unbreakable team.”
“It is a complicated situation made all the more vexing by each side’s intransigence,” Andersen shared. “The king and Prince William have shown little interest lately in repairing the royal family’s relationship with Harry and Meghan, and the Sussexes have responded in kind. Everyone is digging in for now, but that doesn’t mean that at the last-minute Harry and Meghan will decide that, at least in terms of optics, it looks better for them to be the ‘bigger’ people in this dispute — the less petty ones, in other words — and show up.”
“If they do, they will have to be willing to stiff-upper-lip it because the reception they receive will be frosty at best,” he added.
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reside in California with their son Prince Archie, 3, and Princess Lilibet, 1. (Mark Cuthbert/UK Press)
On March 5, a spokesperson for the couple confirmed that Harry received “email correspondence” from the king’s office about the coronation. Buckingham Palace didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
“An immediate decision on whether the duke and duchess will attend will not be disclosed at this time,” the couple’s office said in a statement.
Speculation about whether the Sussexes would be invited to the coronation has raged since the release of Harry’s explosive memoir, “Spare,” which contained damning allegations of intrigue behind the palace walls.
King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla pose for a royal portrait to coincide with the release of their invites to the coronation. (Hugo Burnand)
The disclosures, including details of private conversations with his father and brother, fanned tensions between Harry and his family that became public when he and his wife moved to North America in 2020.
On Tuesday, Buckingham Palace released the coronation invitation, which was issued to 2,000 guests for the ceremony at London’s Westminster Abbey.
The palace also announced that William’s eldest son, Prince George, 9, will serve as a Page of Honor alongside Queen Camilla’s grandsons, Freddy Parker Bowles, Gus Lopes and Louis Lopes.
Royal expert Emily Andrews told Fox News Digital she’s surprised the Sussexes haven’t announced whether they are going to attend or not.
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Prince George (seen here with his sister, Princess Charlotte) will have an important role in his grandfather’s coronation. The eldest child of Prince William is second in line to the throne. (Max Mumby/Indigo)
“We’re only four weeks away and frankly it’s just really bad manners,” she said. “A huge amount of planning has to go into every step of this global event and the guest list, particularly of the royal family, needs to be finalized. Relations between Harry and his father are still at a low ebb, and non-existent between him and William, after the publication of his autobiography.”
“So whilst I understand Harry wanting to iron out every potential issue and pitfall with Buckingham Palace — negotiations are ongoing, I understand — it’s really a simple choice,” she shared. “Is he going to support his father on the most important day of his life or not? Charles wants him and Meghan there; he has made that clear. I hope they both go, as surely that is the first step to reconciling this huge family rift.”
“Their delaying is no doubt deliberate,” royal expert Hilary Fordwich alleged to Fox News Digital. “They know and can see the global media is still speculating. The moment they confirm a decision the speculation and the ongoing media focus on this issue ceases. This is probably their ploy. The royal family has planned as if they are both coming since it is far easier to undo plans for an attendee versus to create the space and protocol.”
King Charles became king upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. Britain’s longest-reigning monarch passed away in September at age 96. (Alastair Grant)
Kinsey Schofield, the host of the “To Di For Daily” podcast, pointed out the decision is a complicated one. In 2022, Harry launched a legal challenge to the U.K.’s government’s refusal to let him personally pay for police protection when he comes to Britain.
Harry’s legal team said the 38-year-old wants to bring his two young children to visit his home country from the U.S. but thinks it would be too risky without police protection. While senior members of the British royal family are given taxpayer-funded police protection, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex lost that when they stepped down as working royals in 2020. The couple said their decision was due to what they described as unbearable intrusions and the racist attitudes of the British media.
Harry wants to be able to pay for the protection, saying his private security team in the U.S. doesn’t have adequate jurisdiction abroad or access to U.K. intelligence information.
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In 2022, Harry launched a legal challenge to the U.K.’s government’s refusal to let him personally pay for police protection when he comes to Britain. (Jordan Pettitt)
“I believe that the palace already knows which way the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are leaning and are keeping things tight-lipped due to their very public security concerns,” Schofield suspected. “Would Harry and Meghan not reveal their plans to be difficult? Totally. But they would also strongly argue that they don’t feel like they are appropriately protected when they are in the U.K., so they might be postponing the announcement to ensure safe travel.”
“Harry claims as recently as 2021 he’s had dangerous encounters with paparazzi,” she explained. “His attorney told courts that his security was put in jeopardy when his car was chased by photographers as he left a charity event. At the time, his lawyers said Harry was ‘unable to return to his home’ with his family because it is too dangerous.”
Despite the security concerns, Schofield said she’s “pretty confident” the couple will be present.
Meghan Markle, an American actress, became the Duchess of Sussex when she married the British prince in 2018. (Samir Hussein)
“Royal commentators joke among ourselves that Meghan probably had her outfits picked out months ago,” said Schofield. “Bags are packed! Hopefully, she’s Googled the lyrics to ‘God Save the King.’ But the palace has devised multiple plans that include them and exclude them so no matter what they decide to do… the day will run smoothly. There wouldn’t be empty seats in the Abbey where they were supposed to be.”
If the couple were to attend, it would be the first meeting between Charles and his younger son since Harry deepened the rift within the palace by revealing family secrets in “Spare,” a bestseller.
The acrimony between Harry and his family once again spilled into public view in March when the Sussexes acknowledged they were asked to vacate their home in Britain.
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Prince Harry’s explosive memoir “Spare” became the fastest-selling nonfiction book of all time. (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
Frogmore Cottage, on the grounds of Windsor Castle west of London, was the couple’s main residence before they gave up royal duties and moved to Montecito, a wealthy enclave in Southern California.
The Sun newspaper reported that Charles asked them to relinquish the dwelling on Jan. 11, the day after Harry’s memoir was published. But issues other than the book may have sparked the request.
Charles has said he plans to cut the number of working royals and reduce the cost of the monarchy as he seeks to modernize the 1,000-year-old institution in hopes of ensuring its survival.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
