Prince Harry has refused to comment on whether he will attend King Charles III’s coronation in May — but is it too late for father and son to make amends?
In an upcoming interview with ITV’s Tom Bradby, the Duke of Sussex said that “there’s a lot to be discussed” before deciding whether he will attend the historical event in the U.K., his home country.
“I really hope that they’re willing to sit down and talk about it,” said the British royal.
Prince Harry, the younger son of King Charles III, has made several shocking allegations in his memoir, “Spare,” according to reports.
(Penguin/VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images)
The 38-year-old’s highly anticipated memoir, “Spare,” is set to be published Tuesday. But several royal experts believe that the damage has already been done by the Sussexes, who have publicly spoken out about their struggles navigating royal life.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital that invitations for the coronation haven’t been sent out yet. However, he doubts that a reconciliation would occur “in the foreseeable future.”
“The royal family cannot answer their complaints point by point,” Fitzwilliams explained. “However, with last month’s trailer, a six-hour Netflix docuseries and now this, it is becoming a destructive media circus. It is particularly ironic for a couple who so publicly desires privacy and whose income depends on being members of the royal family. It is nothing short of a betrayal.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Netflix docuseries “Harry & Meghan” premiered in December.
(Netflix)
According to several reports, Harry’s latest tell-all has several shocking allegations that could rock the monarchy.
The Guardian, which claimed to have obtained an advance copy, reported that Harry alleges that his brother Prince William once lashed out and physically attacked him during a furious argument. Separately, Page Six reported that the book alleges that William and his now-wife, Kate Middleton, encouraged Harry to wear a Nazi uniform to a costume party in 2005. Harry has since apologized and called the decision one of the biggest mistakes of his life.
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Buckingham Palace officials have declined to comment on any of the allegations. A spokesperson for King Charles, 74, didn’t immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. A spokesperson for Kensington Palace, which represents William and Kate, told Fox News Digital they don’t have a comment.
Prince Harry’s memoir “Spare” is already available for half-price at a bookstore in the U.K.
(Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images)
The book is the latest in a string of public revelations and accusations made by the Sussexes.
Meghan Markle, an American actress who starred on “Suits,” became the Duchess of Sussex when she married the British prince in 2018. Less than two years later, the couple quit royal duties and moved to California, citing what they saw as the media’s racist treatment of the duchess, who is biracial, and a lack of support from the palace.
Since then, they have presented their side of the story in an interview with Oprah Winfrey and a six-part Netflix documentary released last month. The couple repeatedly recounted their bruising relationship with the British media and estrangement from the royal family. In the series, Harry, 38, claimed that William, 40, had screamed at him during a family meeting and accused palace officials of lying to protect his elder brother, who is now heir to the throne. Markle, 41, talked about wanting to end her life as she struggled to cope with toxic press coverage.
Copies of the Evening Standard newspaper, leading with stories about Prince Harry’s strained relationship with Prince William, are placed out for distribution in London on Thursday, ahead of the publication of “Spare.”
(Getty Images)
Now, Harry has recorded interviews with ITV and CBS to promote the book. Both are due to be broadcast Sunday. In snippets released in advance, Harry told ITV that the royal household had cast him and Markle as “villains” and “shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile.” He also told CBS that the palace’s refusal to defend him and his wife from attacks was a “betrayal.”
Royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that even if the Sussexes were to receive an invitation to the coronation, the couple’s appearance could cause more harm than good for the royal family. According to Fordwich, over half of the British public want the Sussexes to lose their royal titles.
“King Charles as a father is more likely to eventually ‘forgive and forget,’ but it’s becoming less and less likely that Prince William will be as magnanimous,” she said. “Additionally, the palace is known for taking stock of public sentiment both in the U.K. and also worldwide. Reconciliation might not be good for the monarchy in general, now that international sentiment is also turning against them.”
King Charles III, the eldest son of the late Queen Elizabeth II, will be crowned in May of this year.
(Chris Jackson)
Royal expert Shannon Felton Spence also told Fox News Digital that it’s unlikely Charles wouldn’t want his children and grandchildren to be present at the most important event of his life. However, a reconciliation between Harry and William may be too far gone after these latest truth bombs.
PRINCE HARRY, MEGHAN MARKLE’S REP DENIES COUPLE ASKED FOR ‘PRIVACY’: ‘DISTORTED NARRATIVE’
“So far, what we know is Harry and William are at war,” she said. “What is happening between the brothers certainly impacts their father, but ‘the boys’ have come together for significant family events in the recent past, including Prince Philip and the queen’s funeral, as well as the unveiling of the Princess Diana statue at Kensington Palace.”
“[In this case], both William and Harry have dug their heels in,” Felton Spence continued. “We’re not going to see that change any time soon. So far, King Charles’ depiction in Harry’s story has been that of a loving father who wants his boys to be happy and wants his family to be together. … What’s really sad is that this has been such a significant time for the Windsors with the death of both the patriarch and matriarch and now the ascension of a new monarch.”
Prince Harry, left, and Prince William attend a vigil for Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, who died Sept. 8, 2022, at age 96.
(AARON CHOWN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
“It is massively significant for the U.K. as well,” she added. “The pageantry provided by the monarchy is one of the very best tools Britain has diplomatically. It puts them on the world stage. … This is a time when the U.K. needs all the good press it can get, and yet the storyline of Harry and Meghan and the Prince and Princess of Wales has underlined the past three years.”
While William was destined from birth to be king, Harry, who is fifth in line to the throne behind his brother and William’s three children, has often appeared to struggle with the more ambiguous role of “spare.” He spent a decade in the British Army — years he has described as his happiest — before taking up full-time royal duties in 2015.
Since his split from the royal family, he has launched a new career with his wife as a U.S.-based charity campaigner and media personality.
Prince Harry’s memoir has been spotted in Spain despite the publication date set for Jan. 10 with stringent measures in place.
(OSCAR DEL POZO/AFP via Getty Images)
When asked by ITV’s Bradby whether he will play a part in the British monarchy’s future, Harry said, “I don’t know.”
Time will tell whether Harry chooses to attend his father’s coronation or not. But Fordwich suspected that Charles would want peace within his household after losing his parents.
“Olive branches have been offered to [the Sussexes] for the world to witness,” she said. “First, right after the passing of the queen, Charles, in his first speech as monarch, made a warm overture to Harry and his wife, referencing them as ‘much-loved members of the family.’ Secondly, during the national days of mourning, they were invited by Prince William to join him and the Princess of Wales in viewing flowers. Thirdly, they were invited to Sandringham for Christmas. Last, but not least, this fourth overture of peace [which is expected] for the coronation. … The ball is most certainly in Harry’s court.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
