The Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, has confirmed that he will attend his father King Charles' Coronation next month. However, his wife Meghan will not be accompanying him. This announcement puts an end to months of speculation about whether the couple would attend the event.
The ceremony, which is steeped in tradition and has been taking place for over 1,000 years, will see Charles being crowned with the presence of foreign dignitaries and heads of state.
Despite his previous criticism of the royal family in a book and documentary series, Harry will be present at the event.
Meanwhile, Meghan will stay back in California with their two young children, as their eldest child Archie turns four on the same day. Buckingham Palace and the couple's spokesperson have confirmed this news.
"Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey," the palace spokesperson said.
"The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet."
In 2020, Harry and Meghan chose to step down from their royal duties and relocate to California in order to pursue an independent life away from the scrutiny of the British press. As part of their agreement with the royal family, they committed to not participating in any future official royal events or tours.
Since their departure, they have only made a few appearances in Britain, including attending the funeral of Queen Elizabeth.
However, tensions between the couple and the royal family have emerged in recent months, with Harry publishing a memoir containing personal details about his experiences with the British royal family and the couple appearing in a documentary series on Netflix.
Among other accusations, Harry and Meghan claimed that some members of the royal family, including Camilla and William, had leaked stories to the press to protect themselves or improve their reputations.
They also alleged that the royal family had downplayed the racial harassment that Meghan had faced from the media, and compared it to the treatment that Princess Diana had received before her death.
There were reports that Harry had demanded an apology from his family before agreeing to attend the upcoming coronation, which will be celebrated as a public holiday in the UK.
In an interview in January, Harry was asked if he would attend the upcoming event to which he replied "There's a lot that can happen between now and then. But the door is always open."
Buckingham Palace had previously confirmed that Harry had been invited to the event, given his status as one of the most popular members of the royal family prior to his departure.
Harry's most recent visit to Britain was in late March when he attended a court case against the publisher of the Daily Mail newspaper, along with other high-profile individuals, over allegations of phone-tapping and other privacy violations.
The publisher has denied these allegations, and this is one of several cases that Harry has filed against British newspapers.
During his visit, it is believed that Harry did not have any meetings with his brother, Prince William, or with the King.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Piyush Goyal and Jonathan Reynolds tour the Royal Opera House in London
