Prince Harry was ‘preoccupied’ with where he would sit for King Charles’s Coronation

Prince Harry has postponed the coronation invitation because he was “preoccupied” with where he should be sitting, sources have indicated.

It was one of the reasons he was so late in confirming his decision to attend the coronation of his father, King Charles III, at Westminster Abbey on May 6.

Neither Buckingham Palace nor a legal representative for the Duke of Sussex responded to a request for comment yesterday. But more than one source has confirmed to the Mail that there have been “extensive discussions” between London and California on the matter.

One of them said: ‘Harry’s side was keen to know, probably because they wanted to ratify, what the arrangement of seating is in the abbey. There has been extensive back and forth about who they are [Harry and Meghan] would be behind when they came. And who would be behind it.’

Harry was apparently quite preoccupied with this particular detail, the source said.

Another source added: “This is true. Many questions have been asked about details for the abbey.’

Publications with links to the Sussexes have suggested that Harry had a list of questions for the palace about what would happen if he attended and wanted certain ‘certainties’, but did not specify what those might be.

When Harry and Meghan came to the UK for Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee, they joined other members of the royal family at St Paul’s Cathedral for a thanksgiving service. But conspicuously and rather awkwardly, they sat on the opposite side of the ship from Charles, Camilla, William, and Kate.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been evicted from headquarters as their rift with the royal family has grown.

Harry was placed behind William for the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey in March 2020, his last event before moving to the US. At his grandmother’s funeral last September, he and Meghan sat in a corner at the end of the second row — with a candle blocking even the view of the Duchess.

At the anniversary service in June last year, Harry and Meghan were taken to their seats without fanfare before his father and brother arrived and there was absolutely no eye contact from the other senior royals as they entered.

The Sussexes were in the second row on the other side of the cathedral next to Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie and their husbands, the only members of the royal family who still speak to them.

It was the equivalent – ​​to Harry, at least – of social Siberia. The Times even derisively described them as the ‘second-class Sussexes’ and ‘not nearly as important as before’.

That event was a year after their explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey in which the couple made a series of accusations about the royal family.

Things have only gotten worse since then, with their telltale Netflix series and Harry’s score-setting memoir accompanied by interviews taunting his family.

The King and Prince William have not had any meaningful dialogue with Harry since the late Queen’s funeral and there is little to indicate that this will change any time soon.

The front row seats at the coronation are likely to be reserved for working members of the royal family. Harry will play no part in the official procession, he walks in and out as a guest.

It’s likely the family wants to keep unhelpful body language to a minimum in front of the cameras, so Harry will no doubt be seated with “safer” family members.

While it would be tempting to try and heal the wounds by placing him with senior royals, it could prove to be a huge distraction.

Another source suggested that Harry and his team were “much more attuned” to how things must work now, given his and Meghan’s position as non-working royals. However, an insider also raised the intriguing prospect of whether Harry might be given a more prominent position now that he’s present without his wife.

There was a palpable sense of relief with that development, not least because Harry is always more defensive when it comes to anything involving Meghan.

There is little chance of Buckingham Palace announcing a seating plan in advance, so it is likely that the public will not find out until the day.

Buckingham Palace and a spokesperson for the Sussexes simultaneously announced on Wednesday – in a sign of how delicate the negotiations have been – that Harry would be attending without Meghan, who has opted to remain in their California mansion with their children Archie and Lilibet.

Prince Archie, as he will be known, turns four that day. That is why, Sussexe supporters claim, the Duchess has chosen not to attend.

However, others have let it be known that Meghan sees her future in the US and that her “focus” is on that, suggesting she has no plans to return to the UK anytime soon.

Friends of the Sussexes have said attending the coronation will be Harry’s only engagement on a “rather fast journey”.