The rift between the Sussexes and the royal family is only growing wider, as the new king's
coronation looms. Will the Duke and Duchess appear at the event, or find an excuse to stay stateside?
Here's why their son Archie's birthday could be the "gift" Harry and Meghan have been looking for.
King Charles III's coronation will be different from Queen Elizabeth II's in several notable
ways. First and foremost, it's scheduled to last just one hour on a Saturday in May,
while Her Majesty's clocked in at more than three hours, and was held on a Tuesday in June.
The new king's coronation is also reportedly going to be a "low-carbon" event too,
in keeping with Charles's long-established concern about environmental issues,
which will be a cornerstone of his reign.
However, despite how relatively low-key it's slated to be,
the upcoming coronation is already proving controversial, both in the UK and abroad.
On the home front, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's son Archie's fourth birthday falls
on the same day as the coronation, meaning the Duke and Duchess of Sussex might use the
conflict as an excuse to skip out, according to royal expert Duncan Larcombe. He told The Sun,
"The fact it clashes with Archie's birthday may well gift the Duke and Duchess of Sussex
what they need. It will ultimately come down to what happens between now
and next May. If the rift remains, few would expect Harry to attend."
The Duke of Sussex may be more comfortable staying at home in California, and celebrating
Archie's birthday in peace, rather than taking his chances in Britain again — particularly
given the negative reaction he and Meghan Markle received the last time they visited.
Moreover, it's worth noting the celebrity couple isn't obligated to attend the coronation since
they defected from the royal family more than two years ago. Still, royal expert Katie Nicholl
told the Daily Beast that the king undoubtedly wants the Sussexes to attend his coronation:
"To be fair to Charles, he has been magnanimous in terms of extending,
very publicly, olive branches to the Sussexes, not only in his televised
accession address but also putting them front and center at the funeral events."
"I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan
as they continue to build their lives overseas."
Charles reportedly expects respect from Meghan and Harry,
at the very least, and if they continue to negatively discuss him or his wife,
Queen Consort Camilla, they likely won't be invited, according to Nicholl.
Tensions have been mounting between Prince Harry, Meghan Markle,
and the rest of his extended family for years, but they've recently ramped up as
the royal defectors continue speaking out about their negative experiences with them.
Aside from their infamous Oprah interview, Meghan's podcast,
and her cover story chat with The Cut, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have a
Netflix docuseries in the works that is reportedly going to be their frankest yet.
Likewise, Harry's tell-all memoir is due for release early next year, after being pushed
back in the wake of the queen's death. Royal author Tom Bower told Page Six that The Firm
is very worried about what secrets might be revealed in the book, even describing it as
a "time bomb." As it stands, there's no path to redemption until both projects finally come out.
A source told Us Weekly that the couple may be changing tacks,
though. Speaking about both the show and the book, the insider revealed,
"They've both agreed to reach a neutral ground by softening
the parts on Charles and adding intimate details about [Queen Elizabeth's] legacy."
Meghan and Harry are reportedly hoping they can keep the material, quote, "interesting without
crossing a line." They've already clashed with Netflix over the proposed changes,
however, according to Express, and indeed the damage might already be done at this stage.
Meanwhile, Queen Camilla's crown for the coronation has been a major bone
of contention between the U.K. and India for quite some time.
The purple crown created for the Queen Mother to wear at her coronation with husband King George
VI in 1937 features a 105-carat diamond that was stolen by the British East India Company
and given to Queen Victoria in the 19th century. A source told the Daily Mail,
"His Majesty The King is acutely sensitive to these issues,
as are his advisors. There are serious political
sensitivities and significant nervousness around them, particularly regarding India."
As a result, that controversy may indeed be over before it's even begun.