Prince Harry Not Gonna Wear his Military Uniform? (Photo : REUTERS )
The royal family was left perplexed after Prince Harry made a brief appearance at King Charles III's coronation only to leave shortly thereafter. According to an insider, members of the royal family were primarily focused on the significant ceremony on Saturday, May 6, but couldn't help wondering why Harry attended at all, as he didn't interact with his family beyond the coronation.
The source close to the family told a news publication, "One makes one's choices. To be honest there wasn't much talk of Harry at all. The focus was very much on the occasion."
The Duke of Sussex, 38, arrived in London on Friday afternoon, May 5, and departed nearly 24 hours later, before the celebrations had concluded.
While Harry's hasty departure may have been due to wanting to return to California in time for his son Archie's 4th birthday, which coincided with the coronation, it is also likely related to his ongoing feud with his family. Charles was reportedly "genuinely quite disappointed" that his youngest son didn't remain for the entirety of the celebrations, but he did take a moment to wish his grandson a happy birthday.
OK! reported that during a private lunch following the ceremony, the new king toasted to his loved ones, including "those that weren't there," and expressed his hope that his youngest grandson would have a happy birthday "wherever he was."
Meghan Markle, Harry's wife, stayed in California with their children, Archie and Lilibet, 1, over the weekend. Last month, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the Duchess of Sussex would not be attending the ceremony, opting to care for her children in the U.S. However, according to a source, there were additional reasons for her decision to avoid the royal event.
Royal biographer Omid Scobie stated that the Suits actress did not travel to the UK to "protect her peace," adding, "She is aware just how much of the spotlight goes on her when she sets even a foot near the story."
Scobie further noted that if Meghan had accompanied her husband, the media coverage and narrative of the day would have been quite different.
Harry and Meghan's strained relationship with the royal family has only deteriorated since their decision to step back from their senior royal roles in 2020. In addition to discussing royal family members in interviews and producing their Netflix series, Harry has been candid about his experiences within the palace in his memoir, Spare, providing the family with ample reason to maintain their distance from the couple.
A Vanity Fair source echoed the royal family's confusion regarding Harry's brief attendance at the coronation.
