Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are said to be “absolutely furious” that they will not be allowed to join King Charles at the Buckingham Palace balcony in case they come to the Coronation.
Amid reports that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will soon announce whether or not they will fly to the UK for the historic occasion, it is being claimed that they are upset none of their demands have been met yet.
In a conversation with Sky News Australia, Royal biographer Angela Levin said that the California-based royal couple may decline the invitation because of the balcony snub.
“They have made demands about standing on the balcony,” she said. “On the one hand they’ve said they want such an intimate family moment – believe that and you’ll believe anything – and on the other hand they demand that they are on there with their children, and also that they want an apology first.”
“So none of that has worked. The authority and the kindness from them, nobody is interested in. So they won’t be there. I expect they are absolutely furious,” the expert added.
According to Express.co.uk, Harry is most likely to attend his father’s coronation but there are no reports if Meghan will attend the ceremony or not.
Coronation of King Charles III
King Charles III’s coronation will take place on Saturday 6 May 2023 at Westminster Abbey in London.
During the ceremony, the King will be crowned alongside Camilla, the Queen Consort.
Here is what we know about the plans, code-named Operation Golden Orb.
What is a coronation?
A coronation is both the symbolic religious ceremony during which a sovereign is crowned and the physical act of placing a crown on a monarch’s head.
It formalizes the monarch’s role as the head of the Church of England and marks the transfer of their title and powers.
However, it is not actually necessary for the monarch to be crowned to become King.
Edward VIII reigned without a coronation – and Charles automatically became King the moment Queen Elizabeth II died.
Will there be a bank holiday?
There will be an extra bank holiday across the UK on Monday 8 May.
Buckingham Palace has announced various events for the weekend, including a concert and laser light show at Windsor Castle on Sunday 7 May.
Pubs, clubs, and bars across England and Wales will be able to stay open for an extra two hours on Friday and Saturday of the coronation weekend.
People are also being invited to hold street parties and to take part in volunteering projects in their local community, as part of the Big Help Out initiative.
Events are expected to be publicized under the official Coronation logo, which has been created by former Apple designer Jonny Ive.
It features a rose, a thistle, a daffodil, and a shamrock – emblems from nations across the United Kingdom.
What happens at a coronation?
Coronations have remained much the same for more than 1,000 years. The British ceremony is the only remaining event of its type in Europe.
However, Buckingham Palace has said that although the coronation will be “rooted in long-standing traditions”, it will also “reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future”.
It is likely to be shorter and smaller in scale than Queen Elizabeth II’s 1953 coronation, with a wider range of religions represented.
The coronation procession is also expected to be more modest. Queen Elizabeth’s procession had 16,000 participants and took 45 minutes to pass any stationary point on the 7km (4.3 miles) route.
This time, the King and Camilla, the Queen Consort, will travel to Westminster Abbey in the King’s procession, and return to Buckingham Palace in a larger coronation procession, where they will be joined by other members of the Royal Family.
The palace has not yet said who will subsequently appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
There are several stages to the service:
- The recognition: While standing beside the 700-year-old Coronation Chair, the monarch is presented to those gathered in the Abbey by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The congregation shouts “God Save the King!” and trumpets sound
- The oath: The sovereign swears to uphold the law and the Church of England
- The anointing: The King’s ceremonial robe is removed and he sits in the Coronation Chair. A gold cloth is held over the chair to conceal the King from view. The Archbishop of Canterbury anoints the King’s hands, breast, and head with holy oil made according to a secret recipe, but known to contain ambergris, orange flowers, roses, jasmine, and cinnamon. The oil created for Charles will not contain any ingredients derived from animals
- The investiture: The sovereign is presented with items including the Royal Orb, representing religious and moral authority; the Sceptre, representing power; and the Sovereign’s Sceptre, a rod of gold topped with a white enameled dove, a symbol of justice and mercy. Finally, the Archbishop places St Edward’s Crown on the King’s head
- The enthronement and homage: The King leaves the Coronation Chair and moves to the throne. Peers kneel before the monarch to pay homage
The Queen Consort will then be anointed in the same way and crowned.
