Princes William, Harry keep their distance at King Charles' coronation

Author: Editors Desk Source: ABC GMA
Saturday - 06/05/2023 22:21

Prince Harry attended the ceremony without his wife, Meghan Markle.

Princes William and Harry, brothers who are not believed to have seen each other in eight months, appeared to keep their distance from each other at Saturday's coronation for their father, King Charles III.

William, who attended the coronation with his wife and children, and Harry, who attended the coronation alone, did not appear to interact at all during the service at Westminster Abbey.

William, the heir to the throne, entered the Abbey in a procession that included Kate, the Princess of Wales, and their children, Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte.

Harry, a non-working royal since stepping down from his senior role in 2020, entered the church with his cousins Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, whom he also sat by, roughly three rows behind William and his family.
 

PHOTO: The Duke of York, Princess Beatrice, Peter Phillips, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Zara Tindall, Princess Eugenie, Jack Brooksbank, Mike Tindall and the Duke of Sussex, (left to right 2nd row) the Earl of Wessex,
The Duke of York, Princess Beatrice, Peter Phillips, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Zara Tindall, Princess Eugenie, Jack Brooksbank, Mike Tindall and the Duke of Sussex, (left to right 2nd row) the Earl of Wessex, Lady Louis...Show more
Pool/via Reuters


Harry's wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, stayed home in California and did not attend the coronation.
The last time Harry publicly appeared with his royal family members was last September, when he and Meghan attended the funeral for Queen Elizabeth II.
 

PHOTO: Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank, the Duke of Sussex (centre) and Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi at the coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in Westminster Abbey, London, May 6, 2023.
Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank, the Duke of Sussex (centre) and Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi at the coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in Westminster Abbey, London, May 6, 2023.
Pool/via Reuters


Several months later, in January, Harry released a bestselling memoir, "Spare," which publicly laid bare tensions with his immediate family members, particularly William.

Neither Buckingham Palace, the office of Charles and Queen Camilla, nor Kensington Palace, the office of William and Kate, have publicly commented on the claims Harry makes in "Spare."
 

PHOTO: The Royals are seen in London during The Coronation of Charles III and his wife, Camilla, as King and Queen of the United Kingdom on May 6, 2023.
The Royals are seen in London during The Coronation of Charles III and his wife, Camilla, as King and Queen of the United Kingdom on May 6, 2023.
Victoria Jones/WPA Pool via Getty Images


Prior to the coronation, the last time Harry was in the United Kingdom was in March, to attend a hearing in a British tabloid court case . He is not believed to have met with Charles or William during that trip.

Harry has said previously though that he hopes to be able to reconcile with his family.

"If we can get to the point of reconciliation, that will have a ripple effect across the world," Harry said in a January interview with "Good Morning America" co-anchor Michael Strahan. "I genuinely believe that, and that's kind of what is pushing me. And if that doesn't happen, then that's very sad."

After the coronation service, Harry was seen leaving Westminster Abbey and entering a car.
 

PHOTO: Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, leaves Westminster Abbey following the coronation ceremony of Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla, in London, May 6, 2023.
Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, leaves Westminster Abbey following the coronation ceremony of Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla, in London, May 6, 2023.
Toby Melville/POOL/Reuters


As a non-working royal, Harry did not join other members of the royal family in the procession back to Buckingham Palace.

He also did not join the royal family in appearing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, a long-held royal tradition.
 

PHOTO: Prince Edward, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, Anne, Princess Royal, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, Prince William, Catherine, Princess of Wales, stand on the Buckingham Palace balcony following King Charles' coronation in London, May 6, 2023.
PHOTO: Prince Edward, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, Anne, Princess Royal, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, Prince William, Catherine, Princess of Wales, stand on the Buckingham Palace balcony following King Charles' coronation in London, May 6, 2023.


Sources told ABC News royal contributor Omid Scobie that Harry plans to travel back to California soon after the service. The date of the coronation coincides with the birthday of Archie, who turns 4 on Saturday.

Harry's decision to attend the coronation, even without Meghan, brought hopes of reconciliation from fans of the royal family.

ABC News royal contributor Victoria Murphy said that while the chance for reconciliatory talks during the busy coronation weekend were slim, Harry's presence alone in support of Charles was a positive step forward.

"Not only is he his much-loved son, but from the monarchy's point of view, Harry being there much better allows them to send this message of harmony and unity, even if that isn't quite what is happening behind the scenes," she said in an interview earlier this month. "Even though Harry has walked away from royal life, he did grow up in that world for the vast majority of his life, so he will have a very strong sense of the magnitude of this day instilled into him. It would have been a big statement for him to miss it."

ABC News' Morgan Winsor contributed to this report.

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