With the final preparations for King Charles III’s coronation underway, there is reportedly growing concern among organizers that Prince Harry is going to pull a stunt since no one has been able to speak to him about some last-minute specifics.
Here’s what Palace officials have said about trying to get ahold of the Duke of Sussex and what stunt they are afraid he might pull the day of his father’s coronation.
Prince Harry initially missed the coronation RSVP deadline but submitted a response on April 12 that he would attend the event. In a statement Buckingham Palace announced: “The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on May 6th. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.”
But that’s where the correspondence with Harry ended.
Now the Daily Mail has reported that organizers haven’t been able to get ahold of him for further confirmation about “when he is coming, where he is staying, when he is going back, and whether he is happy with his seating position in the Abbey.”
As one source told the publication, “He has not been responding other than in a ‘We acknowledge your email’ holding manner.” Palace officials have even compared trying to make arrangements with Harry to “trying to communicate with Mars.”
This has lead to some real concerns that the prince may have changed his mind about going to the coronation or just may pull a stunt at the last minute and choose not to show up.
According to Finding Freedom co-author Omid Scobie, Harry will be traveling to the U.K. but won’t be in town for any extended period of time. In fact, the duke is only expected to attend the coronation ceremony, not any of the other festivities and may be in England for less than 24 hours.
“I understand that Archie’s fourth birthday (also on May 6) played a factor in the couple’s decision. Expect it to be a fairly quick trip to the U.K. for Prince Harry, who will only be attending the coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey,” Scobie tweeted.
The working assumption now for organizers is that “assuming he does come, it could mean arriving as late as very early Saturday by private jet and leaving by late afternoon the same day.”
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As for where Harry will be seated in Westminster Abbey, it won’t be anywhere near Prince William who, by all accounts, is furious with his brother over what he said about the family in his Netflix docuseries and memoir Spare.
Express reported: “Harry’s arrival at Westminster Abbey will be meticulously crafted down to the exact minute to avoid any form of confrontation with members of the royal family who will never forgive him for what he has done. The Prince of Wales is at the front of the list, with his fury at his younger brother being one of the worst-kept royal secrets. Harry will be seated several rows behind the senior royals and at a position to ensure that there can be no direct shot of William and Harry together — meaning any potential sideways glances or furious stares are not broadcast on the world stage.”