There has been speculation for a long time, now it’s finally official: Prince Harry will travel to London for his father’s coronation on May 6th. But the 38-year-old will board the plane alone, because his wife Meghan and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, remain in the United States. Sussex biographer Omid Scobie claims the little prince’s fourth birthday, which falls on the same day, played a role in the decision. If that’s true? Only the couple knows.
Without a doubt, it’s the right decision – because that’s how Meghan Charles and Camilla don’t get in the way.
It’s an open secret that King Charles hates being stolen from the spotlight. Even at the time of his marriage to Princess Diana, it was regularly reported that the then Prince of Wales could not understand the hype surrounding his beautiful wife and was downright jealous. His speech at a state banquet in New Zealand in 1983 is legendary. In it he joked: “It would be much easier if I had two wives. One for each side of the street and I would walk in the middle and be able to direct the operation.” At the time, Diana looked visibly humiliated at her plate. During the tour of Australia and New Zealand, Charles noticed that the spectators at the so-called “walkabouts”, when royals walk down a street lined with onlookers, shake hands and make small talk, were primarily interested in his young wife. At that time nobody knew that the prince had long had a second wife in his heart: Camilla Parker Bowles, also married, an ex-girlfriend.
Camilla is now his wife and will be crowned Queen alongside him on May 6th. She is the apple of the king’s eye and if the backstory weren’t so difficult, their love story could be downright romantic. Charles not only reacts violently when his ego is scratched, but also when his wife is disrespected. And both could have happened if daughter-in-law Meghan had flown to the coronation.
Like her or not, the 41-year-old former actress has star appeal. Even before all the revelations and all the (justified) criticism, the crowds were looking at the Duchess of Sussex. She has charisma, charm and self-confidence. If she was unsure about public appearances, she didn’t show it. She easily struck up conversation with children, the elderly, men and women. She seemed relaxed, authentic and approachable. Pretty much everything Charles isn’t. But she in turn has it in common with Duchess Camilla. The monarch’s wife probably learned early on that her loved one does not want to be overshadowed, and so the 75-year-old has stayed in the background since the wedding in 2005. It’s only when she’s on solo dates that you notice that Camilla is quite charming, has a sense of humor and eagerly pushes her themes forward.
Harry accused his stepmother of launching stories about him, William and Meghan to the press for her own ends. A big problem.
After this allegation, Harry and Meghan cannot easily stand next to Charles and Camilla and pretend to be a healthy family. If you believe the prince’s stories in his autobiography “Spare” (in German: “Reserve”), the father has always sided with his wife when it comes to important decisions. According to Harry’s recollection, he and William are said to have opposed a marriage between Charles and Camilla – the then Prince of Wales married his beloved anyway.
So what could Charles do to ensure his glamorous daughter-in-law doesn’t outshine the queen? Yes, he could ask her not to show up. Whether he did that or the decision was made solely by Meghan and Harry, we don’t know. It means a kind of truce for all sides. Queen Camilla will be the woman to take center stage on May 6 – and still be a step behind King Charles. The monarch will appear as a forgiving and forgiving father who wants his scandalous son by his side. Meanwhile, Meghan can have a nice day in Montecito with her children. She is not constrained by courtly protocol, forced to smile for the photographers with hated and hating Windsors. And she escapes William. The boss.
