Prince Harry is not expected to play any part in today’s Coronation celebrations apart from his brief appearance at Westminster Abbey.
According to Mail Online, there are ‘no plans’ for him to join the Royal Family at Buckingham Palace, take part in the private family lunch or even appear in photos.
He is also expected not to take part in the procession back from Westminster Abbey or join his family on the balcony for the traditional public appearance and flypast.
Buckingham Palace announced last month he would be attending and he was expected to fly in yesterday and spend the night at Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor estate.
Sources have stressed that he will be ‘in and out of the UK in 24 hours’. He plans to dash back straight after the two-hour ceremony to be with Meghan for their son Archie’s fourth birthday.
Insiders last night said they could not rule out him having an unplanned heart-to-heart with his father after he lands in the UK.
‘Of course you can never say never,’ said one. ‘Anything is possible, especially with him. And His Majesty loves his son despite everything.’
But others felt that this was extremely unlikely.
‘To be honest it seems a bit pointless him being there. His place in the pecking order couldn’t be clearer,’ another source told the Mail.
‘Attending is probably the right thing for him to do in the long run. He can at least say he came and made the effort to be with his father on his big day… But the red carpet is most definitely not being rolled out and, as it stands, he will just be another member of the congregation.’
Buckingham Palace last month announced it was ‘pleased to confirm’ Harry would attend his father’s ceremony. There had been months of speculation over whether he and possibly Meghan would attend.
It came after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex released a six-part Netflix docuseries in December where they suggested William was ‘trapped’ and claimed they were not treated well by the Royal Family.