Palace prepares for Sussexes to be part of the Coronation
Royal officials working on assumption that Harry and Meghan will be present to see his father crowned
BUCKINGHAM PALACE is preparing for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to attend the King’s Coronation, it has emerged.
Staff in charge of logistics are working on the basis that the couple will fly over from California for the ceremony and are including them in their plans.
However, the Sussexes have not yet revealed whether they will attend the May 6 ceremony at Westminster Abbey, London a week after they received a save-the-date email.
A royal source told The Daily Telegraph that it was “always easier” to make provision for guests who do not turn up, rather than insert them into the programme further down the line.
The Duke and Duchess are understood to be weighing up the logistics of any potential travel, which will partly involve their security arrangements.
They have not ruled out attending and conversations behind the scenes appear to indicate that they are more likely to come than stay away.
While it will not be a deciding factor, the Coronation will take place on the same day as their son, Prince Archie’s fourth birthday.
The Sussexes are also concerned how their attendance might be received by the British public as well as their Royal relatives in the wake of the revelations in the Duke’s memoir, Spare.
One palace source revealed that officials working for the Master of the Household’s Department and Lord Chamberlain’s Office had been instructed to assume they were coming.
They told the Daily Mail: “Harry and Meghan are being factored into all of the planning… the cars, the seating plans, dining arrangements, everything.
“No one knows for certain whether this means they have definitely accepted – it could, of course, be just in case they do – but it’s clearly not a ‘no’.
“The staff are certainly working on the expectation they are coming. These kind of arrangements have to be made well in advance.”
A second source “with knowledge of Harry and Meghan’s thoughts on the issue” added: “The indication is that they are, although there is a lot that needs to be worked through first.”
A Sussex spokesman said last week that they had been in contact with the palace about the Coronation.
If they do travel to London, they may stay at Frogmore Cottage, the Windsor home they have been asked to vacate. The King has allowed them to retain use of the property until early summer.