While it has now been confirmed for several days that Prince Harry will attend his father’s coronation ceremony alone on 6 May, royal commentators and pundits are still trying to figure out the real reasons why Meghan Markle did not make the trip. Some have suggested that there was insufficient security.
But what if Meghan’s absence from the Coronation of Charles III was not due to a lack of will, but rather a form of caution? With the ceremony now fast approaching, royal commentators and crown experts are still questioning why Prince Harry will attend the ceremony alone, without his wife and children.
On Tuesday 18 April, royal expert Tessa Dunlop explained to US Weekly what she believes motivated the choice. As they are no longer active members of the Royal Family, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex can no longer benefit from the same close guard as the rest of the Firm. While a deal may have been struck with Prince Harry, Meghan Markle‘s safety has long been a concern at Buckingham Palace before the announcement of her absence was declared.
“An insider told me that they were a bit worried about her safety and the response. They can’t control the reception that the public would have given him, which might have painted a very bad picture of Britain,” she said, adding that potential protection against all these threats would have “cost a fortune”.
Meghan Markle: did she really want to attend the Coronation?
This Wednesday 19 April, the American magazine People agreed. According to their sources, very close friends of the Sussexes, Prince Harry’s visit has become “so personal” that his absence would have been unthinkable. As far as Meghan Markle is concerned, the justification for staying with Archie in Montecito for his fourth birthday is an “elegant solution” and “an audible reason” for her not to come, according to a royal biographer.
But the real reason for her absence is said to be fear of media and public backlash over her visit: “Meghan wants to be there for her father-in-law, but at the same time, scrutiny of his every move has outweighed support,” a close friend of the couple is quoted as telling the magazine. There will always be naysayers who question their reasoning, and who would want their position?” he also said. A position in which the Sussexes had no chance of winning.
Photo credits: AGENCY / BESTIMAGE