Several British politicians, historians, and senior military figures expressed their concerns about the decreasing popularity of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and that they would be better off not attending the coronation of King Charles III to be held next year on May 6.
The published opinions were a response to the release of the couple’s sensational Netflix documentary that has received a lot of backlash from the British people and the media. A former cabinet minister said the couple should not even think about attending the coronation and should stay clear of Westminster Abbey on May 6.
Iain Duncan Smith told reporters that if the Duke and Duchess dislike the royal family so much, they should not come to Prince Harry’s father’s coronation.
David Mellor, a former lawmaker and cabinet minister, shared the same sentiments as Smith, saying that the couple should definitely not attend the event.
According to Mellor, Harry and Meghan are profiting financially from bad-mouthing the royal family, and the British people do not want them present at the ceremony. He also said that people might boo and throw insults at the couple if they turn up.
Lady Antonia Fraser, a well-known historian and author of best-sellers about past royals, said that she hopes the couple does not attend the ceremony. She said they would potentially take away all media attention from King Charles and the Queen Consort.
The harsh criticism comes days after Netflix aired the first three episodes of the documentary “Harry and Meghan,” which has received millions of views.
The Duke and Duchess made some damning allegations against the royal family in the documentary. They said that Meghan faced racist remarks and that the family held what Prince Harry called an “unconscious bias” against his wife’s mixed race. He also suggested that he did not get adequate care from his family after his mother Princess Diana died.
Prince Harry also made a subtle jab at his older brother, Prince William, saying that he only married Kate because she fit into the royal image.
Netflix released the trailer for the remaining three episodes to be shown on Thursday, December 15.
As well as new details about the couple’s romance, the final episodes are expected to contain more revelations about what led up to their break with the royal family. In the first part of the documentary, Harry talked about Meghan’s race being one of the reasons why she was treated poorly by the media.
According to the historian Lord Andrew Roberts, there are several instances in the past when members of the royal family were not invited to coronations, so it would not be unheard of if Harry and Meghan were not invited.
The royal expert Tom Bower said that he believes the couple might not get invited to the coronation or any royal event in the future, adding that they might not even be welcome in the United Kingdom following the documentary.
A recent poll showed that 44% of people asked whether the Duke and Duchess should lose their titles agreed, and 19% disagreed. The poll also showed that 42% believed the royal family should remove Prince Harry from the succession line.
There appear to be mixed opinions about the popularity of the royal couple after the Netflix documentary. It remains to be seen how it will play out and if the British people will hold a grudge against Harry and Meghan, who were once much loved.
