Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been invited to King Charles III’s coronation by the royal family, confirmed a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The ceremony is all set to take place on May 6.
The couple has not yet confirmed their attendance at the coronation. Their relationship with the royal family has strained in the past few months owing to the release of Prince Harry’s memoir in January this year.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Receive Invitation for King Charles III’s Coronation
The spokesperson released a statement to the media on the weekend, saying, “I can confirm The Duke has recently received email correspondence from His Majesty’s office regarding the coronation. An immediate decision on whether The Duke and Duchess will attend will not be disclosed by us at this time.”
Buckingham Palace has not yet commented on the development. It remains to be seen if the couple decides to attend the event. Last month, a source revealed that an official invitation was yet to be sent to the couple who now lives in the US. An insider from the palace had, however, confirmed that the invite would be extended soon.
Hugo Vickers, writer and friend of the royals, added, “Nothing must deflect from the actual coronation; it’s very important. I don’t know if Harry and Meghan will both come [to the coronation], but the message I’m getting is that Charles is concerned about his son and wishes to leave the door open for him.”
Prince Harry Talked about the Possibility of Attending the Coronation in an Earlier Interview
During an interview in January, when Prince Harry was asked if he would attend the King’s coronation, he said, “There’s a lot that can happen between now and then. But, you know, the door is always open. The ball is in their court. There’s a lot to be discussed, and I really hope that they are willing to sit down and talk about it.”
Meanwhile, a source close to the palace has revealed that King Charles III wants tensions between the family to calm down before his coronation. “It is such a momentous occasion for Charles, and he would want his son to be at the coronation to witness it,” disclosed the source.
He continued, “He would like to have Harry back in the family. If they don’t sort it out, it will always be part of the King’s reign and how he has left his family disjointed. He has had a reputation as a distant parent, and it would be awful for him for that to continue.”
The Couple was Asked to Vacate their UK home Last Week
The news of the invitation comes just a few days after the couple was asked to leave their UK home. “We can confirm The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been requested to vacate their residence at Frogmore Cottage,” a spokesperson confirmed on March 1.
Things have gone sour between the couple and the rest of the royal family since Prince Harry revealed some explosive family secrets in his memoir ‘Spare.’ However, royal historians are still hopeful that the family could reunite for the coronation despite their differences.
“There have been some very grave disagreements between them. But the Platinum Jubilee and the funerals of the Queen and Prince Philip did demonstrate that they could put personal enmity aside for the sake of the bigger cause. And that is what the coronation will be all about,” said Royal historian Robert Lacey.
For more news and updates, keep watching this space.