The real reason Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may shun King Charles and Camilla's coronation

It is thought that Harry and Meghan may shun King Charles' coronation that's set for May 2023 because of this unique reason

Prince Harry and Meghan may shun King Charles' coronation
(Image credit: Future: Getty / Canva)

There is a unique reason why the Duke and Duchess of Sussex may not be able to attend King Charles and Queen consort Camilla's coronation in 2023.


Buckingham Palace confirmed in October that King Charles' coronation has been will take place on Saturday, May 6, 2023. The ceremony is set to be a grand televised affair at Westminster Abbey, with an extra bank holiday granted for the coronation day so that royal fans can enjoy the festivities. The Queen Consort Camilla will also be crowned on the day in a smaller ceremony and become the King's official consort.

While this is expected to be an exciting day for the royals and a momentous day in the history books, there are some members of the extended Royal Family who are not expected to join in the festivities. King Charles' youngest son Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle may not be able to join the celebrations for one very key reason.

Camilla, Queen Consort and King Charles III during the State Banquet at Buckingham Palace on November 22, 2022 in London, England. This is the first state visit hosted by the UK with King Charles III as monarch, and the first state visit here by a South African leader since 2010.

(Image credit: Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

King Charles’ coronation day will be especially significant for grandson Archie as his fourth birthday is the same day as the coronation. But this clash could mean that parents decide to celebrate privately with their son and not attend the coronation celebrations. 

Previously in June 2022, the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations clashed with their daughter Lilibet's first birthday. The royal couple made the decision to avoid BBC’s Platinum Party at the Palace on the third night of the Jubilee celebrations and instead celebrated privately at home.

Therefore, the royal couple may decide to upkeep this tradition of prioritizing their children's birthdays over royal milestones. Meaning they will place importance on Archie's fourth birthday and celebrate this milestone rather than the King's coronation.

BBC's Party at the Palace

(Image credit: WPA Pool / Pool / Getty Images)

However, there are also alternative suggestions that Prince Harry and Meghan do have plans to attend the King's coronation, and are hoping that the tension caused by their upcoming memoir and docuseries will have dissipated by May 2023.

On the latest episode of Royally Us, host and royal expert, Christine Ross, said that she believes the timing of the release of the docuseries and the memoir in December and January, was deliberate.

Christine said, "I think that the documentary and the book come out within weeks of each other. Maybe they are hoping that between January 10 and, you know, May,[that] they have enough time to cool any tensions that might arise."

So perhaps if the tension dissipates during the five months between the release of their final project and the coronation, the royal couple will be in attendance. But nothing has been confirmed just yet by the Royal Family about which royals will be attending the ceremony and service.

Laura Harman

Laura is the Entertainment Editor for woman&home who primarily covers television, film, and celebrity news. Laura loves drinking and eating and can often be found trying to get reservations at London's trendiest restaurants. When she's not wining and dining, Laura can also be found travelling, baking, and hiking with her dog.