Prince Harry shares brief interactions with royal family members before jetting back to LA for Archie's birthday

The former royal attended the ceremony solo today and had just a couple of brief interactions with his family

prince harry
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Prince Harry arrived at Westminster Abbey to support the Royal Family during King Charles' history-making coronation but had just a few interactions with his family.

prince harry

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The Duke of Sussex made a flying visit to London to attend his father's coronation stopping only briefly to talk to a few family members including Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, along with their husbands. 

Unlike his brother, Prince William, who took on an active role during the ceremony, Harry arrived in a morning suit rather than a military uniform, following his dress code for the special occasion.

Harry's wife, Meghan Markle, did not attend the ceremony with him, and neither did their two kids, Archie and Lilibet. In fact, May 6 marked Prince Archie's fourth birthday party, which Harry promptly flew home to help celebrate as soon as the coronation ceremony at Westminster concluded. 

During the ceremony, Harry sat next to Beatrice and Eugenie, also non-working royals, and sat three rows behind William, Kate, and other key members of the royal family. He also sat directly behind Princess Anne, who had a large feathered cap on.

prince harry

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The attendance marked Harry's first reunion with his family since the release of his highly personal memoir, Spare, as well as his Netflix docuseries about married life with Meghan, Harry & Meghan. 

This also marks the first time he has seen the family since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, just eight months ago. 

After King Charles' coronation ceremony, Harry was seen entering a car, likely taking him to the airport so that he could fly back to his home in California to celebrate Archie's 4th birthday. 

prince harry

(Image credit: Getty Images)

As a non-working royal, Harry did not promenade with the rest of his family in the procession to Buckingham Palace, nor did he make an appearance on the balcony for the flypast at the Palace with William, Kate, Charles, and Camilla.

"We saw him arrive on Friday evening getting ready, of course, for the big day to support his father at the coronation ceremony," royal correspondent Omid Scobie said in an Instagram reel. "But, of course, he also has duties back in Montecito, California, and sources close to the duke say that it is going to be an in-and-out trip for him. Just here to be part of that moment in Westminster Abbey, support his father and then be back at home to support his own family in Montecito."

Regardless of his feelings about his extended family, the Duke was all smiles during the ceremony honoring his father and was respectful to the other royals and dignitaries who attended the historic ceremony. 

Harry will not attend the coronation concert tomorrow evening. 

Madeline Merinuk
US Lifestyle News Writer

Madeline Merinuk is woman&home's US lifestyle news writer, covering celebrity, entertainment, fashion, and beauty news.

She graduated in 2021 with a B.A. in Journalism from Hofstra University, winning multiple student journalism awards, including a National Hearst Award, during her time there. After graduating, she worked at today.com, the digital site for the Today Show, where she wrote pop culture news and interviewed big-name personalities like Emily Ratajkowski, Haley Lu Richardson, Emma Corrin, and more.

Her personal interests, in no particular order, are: cheese, Joni Mitchell, reading, hot yoga, traveling, having multiple chapsticks in every handbag at all times, and dancing to ABBA songs as if she were in the Mamma Mia movies.