King Charles coronation: king ‘wants Prince Harry to attend coronation’ - what has been said?

King Charles has asked the Archbishop of Canterbury to broker a deal to allow Prince Harry to attend his coronation, reports suggest.

Sources from Lambeth Palace told The Mail On Sunday that, despite resistance from Prince William, the King wants Justin Welby to strike an agreement between the estranged brothers that would allow Harry and Meghan Markle to attend the ceremony at Westminster Abbey.

Speculation has been rife in recent months about whether the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will attend the historic event after Harry criticised senior members of the Royal Family in his tell-all memoir Spare. Some of the most talked about revelations include Harry’s claim that his brother William physically attacked him, as well as accusations that the Palace purposely planted negative stories about Meghan.

Charles III is said to believe that Harry and Meghan’s absence at the coronation would be a greater distraction than their presence, and so is prepared to make concessions to persuade them to attend, the Mail On Sunday reported.

However, it is understood that William is concerned that the couple, who “stepped away” from their royal duties in January 2020, could use the event to stage a “stunt” that would overshadow the coronation.

A source said: “The issue of substance is whether they attend the coronation, and if they do, under what terms and conditions. The family is split, and all the indications are that Harry is being advised to agree to nothing at this stage and ‘play it long’ right up to the last minute, which is making negotiations with him very difficult.

“Harry’s camp made clear that the idea that he would just attend the coronation and behave himself but then be stripped of his titles was a total non-starter. He resents being lumped together with Prince Andrew in the public mind as the two ‘problem Princes’, when he considers the circumstances to be totally different.”

Both Buckingham Palace and Lambeth Palace have declined to comment on the reports in the Mail On Sunday, while a source close to Prince William told the newspaper they were not aware of any such negotiations over the coronation. Representatives for Prince Harry did not respond to a request for comment.

Previously, in his interview with ITV’s Tom Bradby, Harry did not reveal much about whether he planned to attend the coronation. He said: “There’s a lot that can happen between now and then. But, the door is always open. The ball is in their court.”

“I really hope that they’re willing to sit down and talk about it,” he continued, adding that he “still believes” in the monarchy but is unsure if he will be part of its future.

King Charles’ coronation is set to take place on Friday 6 May, as part of a weekend of celebrations. This will include a procession from Buckinahm Palace and a concert at Windsor Castle, and there will also be a bank holiday on Monday 8 May.

Recently, a poll conducted by The Evening Standard found that two thirds of the public think the Duke of Sussex should be invited to his father’s coronation.

The poll of 1,001 people also found a striking age gap between those who support Harry’s presence and those who do not. Over-55s were almost split in half, with 42% against his attendance and 47% in favour, while three quarters of 18 to 34-year-olds said Harry should be there in May.