The Duke and Duchess of Sussex would like to be part of the “special family moment” when members of the royal family gather on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for the King’s coronation, sources have claimed.
Prince Harry, 38, and Meghan Markle, 41, are understood to be looking forward to King Charles’ coronation on May 6, the same day as Prince Archie’s fourth birthday.
Despite explosive allegations made by the couple about the royal family in their £100m Netflix documentary and by Prince Harry in his tell-all memoir, Spare, the Sussexes received an invitation to the Westminster Abbey ceremony last weekend. holiday week.
Although the couple have yet to confirm if they will attend, it has been reported that they hope to be at the celebrations and would like Prince Archie’s birthday to be recognized in some way during the day.
The sources also suggested that they would like to be included in some way when members of the royal family appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the ceremony.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (pictured with Queen Elizabeth on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in 2018 before stepping down as royals) are said to be looking forward to appearing on the palace balcony in May after the coronation of King Charles, the sources say.
Balcony appearances are typically reserved for working members of the royal family, however the couple have reportedly believed they should be a part of that “special family moment”.
said a source OK! Earlier this month, discussions continue over the Duke and Duchess’s participation in the coronation, including the question of whether they and their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet will appear on the balcony.
They said the question is a “troubling point” because non-working royals usually don’t show up, however they added: “Harry and Meghan are interested in them also being a part of that family moment. special”.
The source added that the parents-of-two had requested to stay at Frogmore Cottage, where they had lived before moving to the US, when they return to the UK for the coronation. They are also said to want their children to spend more time with family members, including Princess Eugenie’s son August, who is similar in age to Lilibet.
Another hope for the Sussexes is that Archie’s fourth birthday will somehow be marked even though it falls on the same day as the coronation.
It is also believed that the Sussexes (pictured at Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee last year) want Prince Archie’s fourth birthday, which is the same day as his coronation, to be recognized in some way.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been invited to the May coronation but have yet to confirm whether they will attend
The source said: “The Sussexes have asked that some form of celebration or recognition be included in the plans for the day to ensure that her fourth birthday is not missed out on the momentous day.”
During Queen Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee in June last year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for Trooping the Colour, which kicked off the week of celebrations.
The royal author and friend of the Sussexes, Omid Scobie, claimed at the time that the decision not to include the couple on the balcony was mutual.
In a column for yahoo! Newshe wrote that “both parties” had agreed that they had better not turn up, although the Sussexes were “eager” to be a part of the celebrations in general.
Regarding the king’s coronation, a royal source claimed earlier this year that it was “unlikely” the Sussexes would be invited to the balcony, according to the Mail on Sunday.
Following the release of Harry’s explosive memoir in January, it was unclear whether the Sussexes would attend the coronation, after Harry made strong allegations against his family.
Among the claims Harry made in Spare was an incident in which Prince William pushed him to the ground during a fight on the grounds of the Windsor Estate, and that he ‘begged’ his father King Charles not to marry. with Queen Consort Camilla, fearing she would become an ‘evil stepmother’.
If the Sussexes attend the coronation, as is now expected, it will be the first time their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet will see the family since Lilibet, one of them, was christened in an intimate ceremony and party.
at the couple’s house. Montecito Mansion a few weeks ago.
Harry and Meghan invited King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Prince and Princess of Wales to the California ceremony, but they did not attend.
A statement from the Sussexes referred to the 21-month-old as ‘Princess Lilibet Diana’, revealing for the first time that the couple have decided to invoke their right to use ‘Princess’ for Lilibet, six months after accession to the throne. of King Carlos last September. Archie will be called prince.
Harry and Meghan are said to not want to deny their children the chance to inherit their father’s royal titles as they see it as their birthright, but will allow Archie and Lili to decide whether to abandon or continue using the royal titles when they are older. old. Meghan told Oprah Winfrey that Archie was not given the title of prince because of his race, but this was disputed by palace and constitutional experts.
Lili was baptized by the Anglican Bishop of Los Angeles, John Taylor. Guests and family, including Doria Ragland, then danced to a playlist containing songs from Harry and Meghan’s wedding reception at Windsor Castle. A gospel choir also reportedly performed Oh Happy Day and This Little Light of Mine.