Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have received an invitation to attend King Charles‘ coronation, according to a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex — but the couple declined to comment on whether they will accept.
Speculation about whether Harry and Markle would be invited to the three-day royal affair has been bubbling since the release of Harry’s bombshell memoir Spare, which included allegations that his older brother, Prince William, had been physically violent with him.
Just last week, it was revealed that King Charles had evicted Harry and Markle from their U.K. residence Frogmore Cottage, a day after the book was published.
Despite the widening rift between the Sussexes and the Royal Family, a spokesperson for the couple confirmed that they “received email correspondence from His Majesty’s office regarding the coronation.”
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“An immediate decision on whether The Duke and Duchess will attend will not be disclosed by us at this time,” the spokesperson added.
The coronation of King Charles is set to take place on May 6, which will fall on the fourth birthday of Harry and Markle’s son, Archie.
The Sussexes gave up their roles as working members of the royal family in 2020, two years after getting married, and now live in California.
The pair has been candid about their negative experiences with the Royal Family and British press in a variety of formats: a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, a 2022 Netflix docuseries, and the latest, Spare.
Harry has also appeared on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, twice.
During a press interview for the book, Prince Harry declined to say if he would accept an invitation to his father’s coronation.
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“The door is always open,” he said. “The ball is in their court. There’s a lot to be discussed and I really hope that they’re willing to sit down and talk about it.”
If the couple decide to attend, it’s unclear what role they would play in the coronation celebrations, such as whether they would participate in the procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey or appear on the balcony of the palace at the end of the day to greet crowds.
During the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022, Harry and Markle were not permitted to greet crowds at Buckingham Palace’s balcony alongside other members of the family.
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