Prince Harry and Meghan Markle received an invite to the forthcoming King’s Coronation earlier this month. After the Sussexes’s spokesperson confirmed an invite had been received, speculation began as to what role the couple would have, if any. Here, Express.co.uk looks at five clues which suggest the couple may be snubbed from a balcony appearance on May 6.
They are no longer senior royals
As of March 2020, the couple are no longer senior royals. Two months previously, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry confirmed that they were set to step back as working members of the Firm.
In their departing statement, which was posted on their Instagram account, Meghan and Harry wrote: “We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen.”
The couple stated their decision came after “many of months of reflection and internal discussions”.
Meghan and Harry now live in the US with their two children, three-year-old Archie and 21-month-old Lilibet.
They didn’t appear on the balcony at the Platinum Jubilee
In June 2022, the couple returned to the UK to join in celebrations for the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Archie and Lilibet, who celebrated her first birthday during the celebrations, reportedly joined their parents in the UK.
The couple, however, made very few public appearances during their short visit.
They were notably absent from a balcony appearance, along with members of the Royal Family such as the now-Prince and Princess of Wales.
All eyes were on the Duke and Duchess Sussex as they made an appearance at the Platinum Jubilee thanksgiving service, which took place at Westminster Abbey. The couple and their two children also reportedly flew back to the US before the Jubilee celebrations ended.
The Sussexes are not included in Coronation Procession planning
The official Procession plans have been revealed, according to the Times.
The plans have suggested only working members of the Firm and Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will be involved in the Procession. The plans shows no mention of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
The leaked plans show the procession will be much smaller than the one that followed the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
The Times stated the Prince and Princess of Wales, and their three children, will follow behind the Gold State Coach taking the newly-crowned King Charles and Queen Camilla to Buckingham Palace.
King Charles III wants a slimmed-down Coronation
It has been no secret that the new King has had plans for a smaller and slimmed-down Coronation service, compared to that of his mother, Elizabeth II’s in 1953.
An earlier report also suggested the King’s Coronation is set to be considerably shorter in duration than his mother’s.
It has also been suggested that hundreds of MPs and peers “will miss out” on attending as the King has reduced the numbers in the guest list.
Relations between Sussexes and the Firm are poor
Tension has been mounting between the couple and the Royal Family for some time. This became heightened after the release of the Duke and Duchess’ Netflix series and the release of Harry’s bombshell book, Spare.
Prince Harry’s book, in particular, added more fuel to the situation with new claims about key members of the Royal Family. The Duke’s claims included exposing an apparent physical fight between himself and Prince William, as well as referring to Queen Camilla as “dangerous”.
Royal expert Sarah Hewson previously told Sky News Australia that Harry and Prince William “could not be further apart”.
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