Archie and Lilibet 'not invited' to King Charles' coronation as Harry and Meghan 'set to be given cold shoulder'
12 March 2023, 07:17 | Updated: 18 March 2023, 00:00
Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet have not been invited to King Charles' coronation in May, according to reports.
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Their parents Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be invited, but will be "given the cold shoulder" by many relatives.
The couple have not been told whether their children, aged 3 and 1, will be included in the coronation, with one source saying that they are "very young".
The Sussexes have not confirmed whether they will be going to the royal event on May 6. The rift between Harry and the rest of the royal family after a series of explosive revelations in his book and Netflix documentary is still said to be painful.
Royal officials told Harry and Meghan that discussions could be held on whether Archie and Lilibet might be invited if they confirmed their own attendance at the coronation.
Options also include Harry going alone, or both of them staying away, the Sunday Telegraph reported.
But organisers painstakingly putting together plans for the event are working on the basis that they will attend.
Harry and Meghan may not be very popular with their family at the coronation and they will not be invited to take part in the official balcony appearance.
"They will be given the cold shoulder by very many relatives. One said to me, "I hope they'll be seated in Iceland," a friend of the royal family told the Mail.
"Many of the family just want nothing more to do with them. If they have to see them at the Coronation then so be it, but they do not want to socialise with them."
Tom thinks if we are going to do the Kings coronation we may as well do it properly.
The doubt over Archie and Lilibet's invitation is likely to further widen the rift between the Sussexes and the rest of the royal family.
Prince William and Kate Middleton's children Prince George, 9, and Princess Charlotte, 7, are expected to go. Prince Louis is more of a doubt but still likely to be taken.
Meanwhile Camilla's teenage grandchildren are also expected to go. The Queen Consort had pushed for them to carry the canopy under which she would be anointed, but this plan was quashed.
Royal sources said it would be "wholly improper" to discuss Camilla's grandchildren attending but not some of the King's.
Charles himself was four when he attended his mother Queen Elizabeth's coronation, although he did not stay for the full three hours. Princess Anne was two and did not attend, although she was on the balcony for the official photographs later.
