Royal expert Phil Dampier believes Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may not receive a warm welcome should they travel to the UK to attend the King's coronation in May 2023.
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Leaving a door open
Daily Mail reports that Prince Harry and his family are still considered 'much-loved' members of the Royal Family, despite the ongoing feud. Therefore, it is likely that King Charles III still may wantto invitethe Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and his two younger grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet, to attend his coronation in May 2023.
Dampier said:
If King Charles wants to leave a door open to Harry and Meghan or invite them to his coronation, that's up to him.
The Royal Family extended an olive branch to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee Celebrations, allowing the pair to participate in some festivities. However, according to Woman & Home, the public welcomed the couple with 'an onslaught of boos alongside cheers', showing already the British public's mixed feelings towards the couple. This is before the release of their six-part Netflix documentary and Harry's tell-all memoir, Spare.
However, considering Prince Harry and Meghan's antics, he did warn His Majesty:
But don't be surprised if they get a hostile reception from the public.
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'They categorically shouldn't come'
A group of 'British elite', as Foxnews reports, allegedly believe Prince Harry and Meghan Markle 'categorically shouldn't come' to the King's coronation in May 2023.
Former Tory MP David Mellor believes that if the Sussexes turned up, the British public would be 'perfectly entitled to boo'. He then explained to the Mail on Sunday:
They make money out of selling their family down the river. I think it should be made clear that the British people do not want them there.
Historian and author Lady Antonia Fraser fears the couple may steal the spotlight from the real stars of the day, the King and Queen Consort. She said:
It worries me that if they come, the cameras might waste time on them.
Retired Admiral Chris Parry claims the couple to be 'unreliable' and that they will 'tread and tell' if they attend the coronation. He said:
They are not consistent with the dignity and the importance of the occasion.
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Precedent for not inviting 'controversial' guests
Historian Lord Andrew Roberts explains that there are many cases of people being excluded from coronations for various reasons. He gives the example of disgraced King Edward VIII, who did not attend his younger brother, King George VI's coronation in 1937. He also notes that none of Queen Elizabeth II's German relations were present at her coronation in 1953.
He said:
There’s plenty of precedent for not inviting people who would be a distraction to and detraction from the focus of the great day.
Sources used:
- Daily Mail: Harry and Meghan are told to stay AWAY from King Charles's coronation: Political and military grandees warn couple they could face public BOOS if they attend May's event after Netflix bombshells
- Woman & Home: King Charles issued warning over THIS guest attending coronation ceremony 'may get a hostile reception'
- Fox News: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle warned not to attend King Charles' coronation after Netflix docuseries drop
