KING Charles III of United Kingdom has asked the Archbishop of Canterbury to negotiate a deal to allow his youngest son Harry to attend his Coronation. However, this has met resistance from his older son, Prince William, according to reports by The Mail on Sunday.
Charles III wants Justin Welby to strike an agreement with his warring sons that would allow Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, to attend the Westminster Abbey ceremony in May, senior sources close to Lambeth Palace was reported to have said.
Speculation around Harry and Meghan's attendance at the coronation comes after the release of the couple's Netflix docuseries and the Duke of Sussex's tell-all memoir ‘Spare’ earlier this month which comprised a string of damaging attacks on senior members of the Royal Family since stepping away from Royal duties.
It is also believed that Charles III is contemplating doing his own TV interview ahead of the coronation.
The King is said to believe that Harry and Meghan's absence at the coronation would be a greater distraction than their presence. He is prepared to make concessions for them to attend.
But, it was understood that the Prince of Wales is concerned that his brother will use the event to stage a ‘stunt’ that would outdo the coronation.
According to sources further, Harry could be ensured a high-profile seating position in the Abbey or an informal assurance that he will be able to keep his titles as an inducement to attend, but William fears that unless Harry's visit is tightly scripted, he could steal the limelight – for an example, going on a walkabout in a deprived London district with Meghan.
Yet until last night, both Lambeth Palace and Buckingham Palace had declined to comment, while a source close to Prince William said they were not aware of any such negotiations over the Coronation. Harry's representatives did not respond to a request for comment.
Welby, who will officiate at the ceremony at Westminster Abbey, was first asked to act as an intermediary between William and Harry shortly after the Queen's death last September.
He was previously hauled into a mess when the Sussexes declared in a TV interview that he had secretly married them before their official wedding in 2018 – forcing him to explain that the ceremony broadcast to the world was the legal marriage.
He was also forced to pull out of the Church's General Synod in July 2019 to baptise the couple's first son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor (Archie).
Despite King Charles III’s silence about the allegations aired on ‘Spare’, royal insiders said he was livid about his son's attacks on the Queen Consort Camilla, labelling her as 'dangerous' and a 'villain' in TV interviews to promote his book.
Harry has also called for a reconciliation with his family, however, only if they apologise to him, according to reports.
The King has not publicly responded to Harry's allegations and insiders fear Charles III may be questioned about them if he were to do a pre-coronation interview.
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is planning a feature on the King, detailing his life and plans for the nation as monarch.
Even so, according to The Mirror, an insider has stated that Charles III is considering the interview offer but palace aides are apparently concerned about the line of questioning as the palace knows that any commentary about the Sussexes would make worldwide news and could prompt a response from Harry and Meghan.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet Office is establishing a 'Coronation committee' of civil servants, Royal officials, and Church of England representatives to plan the event on Saturday, May 6, the start of a bank holiday weekend.
It is understood that the Home Office will also be heavily involved in the arrangements given the security issues it raises.
The celebrations will begin with The King's Procession, with the King and Queen Consort travelling from Buckingham Palace to the Abbey in the Gold State Coach.
The coronation service has remained essentially the same for more than 1,000 years and for the last 900 years has taken place at the Abbey.
Charles III will be crowned alongside Camilla as he sits in the Coronation Chair, which dates from the start of the 14th century. After being anointed, the King will have St Edward's Crown, made in 1661 for the Coronation of Charles II, placed on his head.
Prince William will also take on new titles at the Coronation, including being formally named as the Prince of Wales, while Camilla will formally take the title of Queen Consort and will have the Crown of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother placed on her head.
After the ceremony, both Charles III and Camilla will return to the palace and be seen on the balcony with other working members of the Royal Family. – The Vibes, January 29, 2023
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