One of the most important royal events in decades is scheduled for May 6 and is likely to take place amid continuing rancour over the Duke’s memoir and its many revelations and allegations.
In it, the King is characterised as emotionally repressed and jealous of the popularity of his sons and daughters-in-law.
The Duke has spoken publicly of wanting reconciliation with his father and his brother, Prince William, but so far the pair have remained silent about Prince Harry’s outpourings.
Traditionally at coronations, the royal dukes are required to kneel before the new monarch and “pay homage” before touching the crown and kissing them on the right cheek.
However, the King, despite opting against a stripped-down coronation, has reportedly scrapped this tradition. Only Prince William will perform an act of homage, The Sunday Times reported.
Without that convention taking place, there will apparently be no formal part for Prince Harry at the service. “As things stand, there is no role for Harry in the service,” a source told the paper.
The Duke has cast doubt over his attendance at the Coronation, despite its importance to his father, although friends told the paper he was likely to turn up. There has been no mention of whether Meghan would accompany him.
In spite of the ongoing row with his family, Prince Harry did attend the funeral of the late Queen and took part in a grandchildren’s vigil over her coffin at Westminster Hall. He was accompanied by his wife at the service.
However, unlike his brother, he was unable to wear military uniform having lost his titles when he gave up life as a working Royal.
The Coronation will be the first in 70 years. The King had initially thought to pare down the ceremony, given the difficult economic context and his desire for a streamlined monarchy.
Nevertheless, Buckingham Palace was persuaded by the worldwide attention garnered by the late Queen’s funeral and has reconsidered.
The Coronation is now expected to go ahead with full “glorious” pomp and pageantry. Last week, the King continued a 700-year-old tradition by putting out a call for claims by anyone who believes they have a right to take part in the service.
Source uk.news.yahoo.com
Daniel Capurro
