In a statement issued Wednesday, Buckingham Palace said it is-
“pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on 6th May.” It added that the Duchess will “remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.”
Since the premiere of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s self-titled Netflix docuseries about their marriage and planned departure from royal duties in 2020, tensions within the British royal family have remained high. Spare, Harry’s memoir detailing the rifts with his family, became the fastest-selling nonfiction book of all time within weeks of the six-part series premiering.
Many people were left wondering as a result of the repercussions whether or not the pair would be welcomed to Westminster Abbey for King Charles’ symbolic coronation alongside Camilla, Queen Consort.
In addition to Harry and Meghan, the wedding will be attended by 2,200 guests. Other historic firsts are being overshadowed by the uproar over Prince Harry’s presence, such as the invitation extended for the first time to foreign monarchs.
The three-day weekend will be filled with festivities all throughout Britain to celebrate what is likely to be a more modest, but nonetheless extravagant, coronation.
Here’s a running tally of the known attendees and non-guests as relatives, friends, and international leaders send in their confirmations of attendance to the palace.
Members of the royal family
Although Prince Andrew will be present at the coronation, the King has not decided whether or not to allow his brother, Prince Edward, to wear the coronation robes. Edward was stripped of his royal patronages and military titles last year following allegations of sexual abuse.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been invited via email, but Harry will be the only one to show there. According to Buckingham Palace, Meghan, and Harry’s children will remain in California.
Although Queen Camilla’s children Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes have not officially confirmed their participation, it seems expected that they and their families will be in attendance.
Also anticipated are Camilla’s sister Annabel Elliot, her nieces Alice Irwin, Katie Elliot, and Ayesha Shand, and her nephew Ben Elliot. Even though they are serving as pages of honor alongside Prince George, three of Camilla’s grandsons will be attending to her needs throughout the event.
Royals from around the world
By asking other crowned royals and their families to attend his event, King Charles is breaking a 900-year-old custom. The Japanese Crown Prince and Princess, Akishino and Kiko, and the Danish Crown Prince and Crown Princess, Frederik.
And Mary, who will represent Queen Margrethe II while she recovers from surgery, and the Swedish King and Crown Princess, Carl XVI Gustav, and Victoria, have all confirmed their attendance. It has also been confirmed that Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco would be attending without their children.
“I’m certain that it’s going to be an incredible ceremony and a very moving one.” He added, “I’m certain His Majesty will add his own ‘personal touches’ to the ceremonies, but what those will be, I’m sure I don’t know.”
While no other royals have formally RSVPed, Charles has reportedly invited rulers from Arab states.
British and global politicians
There will be only twenty MPs and twenty Lords present at the coronation. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, his wife Akshata Murthy, and Scotland’s incoming First Minister Humza Yousaf will be among those in attendance. The Telegraph reports that several lawmakers are upset because they feel they should be invited to the private event.
Andrzej Duda of Poland, Ferdinand “Bong Bong” Marcos Jr. of the Philippines and his wife, First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos of Australia, and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia have all confirmed their attendance in addition to the British royal family.
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden has informed King Charles that he cannot attend the coronation because of his long-standing unease with the British monarchy. According to the White House, Jill Biden will be representing her husband in his absence.
It is highly expected that other foreign leaders will attend the event, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Religious figures
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby will add Charles’ event to his list of royal appearances. But in an effort to be more inclusive, Charles has also welcomed members of other faiths, such as Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, the top rabbi of the United Kingdom.
In addition, Charles has made it clear that he wants to be a “protector of the faith,” rather than a “protector of the faith” (a reference to the Anglican church). This relatively minor acknowledgment of Britain’s multiculturalism is said to have caused friction in coronation preparations. While the institution works out the kinks in its plans for inclusivity, religious leaders from other faiths wait to hear if they will play an official part in the coronation.
