Prince Harry’s brief visit to the UK for his father’s coronation has left some members of the royal family puzzled about why he bothered to show up.
A source close to the royal family informed Vanity Fair that Harry had limited interaction with his estranged relatives outside of the ceremony. While working royals were preoccupied with the significant occasion, they couldn’t help but question the 38-year-old prince’s attendance. Harry arrived in London on Friday afternoon and departed approximately 24 hours before the festivities concluded.
However, it appears that Harry’s hasty exit was motivated by his desire to return home for his son Archie’s fourth birthday party, which coincided with the coronation. Though the source indicated that the King understood Harry’s position, he was disappointed not to share this extraordinary event with his youngest son.
Harry was also keen to reunite with his wife Meghan, who chose not to attend the event in order to “protect her peace.”
In spite of the ongoing family tensions, Harry appeared content during his father’s enthronement at Westminster Abbey.
Harry’s relationship with his father and brother, Prince William, has been strained since he stepped back from royal duties in 2020. The situation worsened when he and Meghan, 41, divulged family secrets in his memoir, “Spare,” and the Netflix series “Harry & Meghan.” However, during the coronation, Harry was spotted conversing and sitting with Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie (Prince Andrew’s daughters), and their husbands.
James noted that Harry arrived with a broad smile, even joking about Eugenie’s prominent baby bump, which amused everyone present. He cordially greeted the clergy before entering the Abbey.
Interestingly, Prince Harry was seated in the third row during his father’s ceremony near his cousins. Despite being the King’s son, Harry did not occupy a front-row seat—those were reserved for working royals such as Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton.
