Prince Harry will attend the coronation of King Charles next month, but his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, will remain in the United States with the couple’s children, Buckingham Palace said Wednesday following months of speculation.
“Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on May 6th. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet,” the palace said in a statement.
There had been widespread speculation over whether the Sussexes would travel to the United Kingdom for the historic occasion.
In March, the duke’s spokesperson told CNN that the couple had received an invitation to the coronation but had not yet confirmed their attendance.
In his memoir, “Spare,” which hit bookshelves in January, Prince Harry launched a series of incendiary accusations against members of his family, revealed a number of private confrontations between him and other senior royals and detailed his split from the family. Details of the sibling rivalry between Harry and his brother Prince William were also shared.
The duke’s autobiography set a record when the English language version sold more than 1.4 million copies on its first day of publication.
The book followed the broadcast of a six-part Netflix documentary and the explosive Oprah interview in 2021.
In a January interview with Britain’s ITV to publicize his book, Harry said the door with his family was “always open.”
“The ball is in their court. There’s a lot to be discussed and I really hope that they’re willing to sit down and talk about it,” Harry said.
King Charles and Queen Camilla will be crowned on May 6 at Westminster Abbey.
The coronation will see three days of celebrations across the country in which the public will be invited to participate.
Harry’s own potential role in the coronation is unclear given that he is no longer a working royal following his decision to step back from royal duties three years ago.
In pictures: Harry and Meghan's royal romance
He and Meghan attended Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday parade in June as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations but did not join other royals for the traditional balcony appearance after the Queen decided that only family members carrying out official duties would be included.
On May 6, King Charles and Queen Camilla will arrive at Westminster Abbey in procession from Buckingham Palace and return later in a larger ceremonial procession, accompanied by other members of the royal family. The palace has not specified which members of the family will appear in the procession and on the balcony.
Sign up for CNN’s Royal News, a weekly dispatch bringing you the inside track on the royal family, what they are up to in public and what’s happening behind palace walls.
