King Charles Is Allowing 1 Non-Working Royal on the Balcony After Coronation Despite Banning Prince Harry and Meghan
After weeks of speculation about whether Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would attend King Charles III’s coronation, we now know that the Duke of Sussex will be there but without his wife.
Before the Sussexes even responded to the invite though, it was reported that if they attended they would be banned from standing on the Buckingham Palace balcony with other members of the royal family because they are no longer working royals. However, some were left confused by that reason since King Charles is allowing one non-working royal to appear with him and other members of the Firm on the balcony.
Harry won’t be on the balcony, but this non-working royal will
The Mirror reported that King Charles will only allow working members of the royal family to stand on the palace balcony with him at his coronation. This is all part of Charles’ vision to have a “slimmed down monarchy.”
Since the Duke of Sussex has not been working royal for the last three years he will not be permitted on the balcony. Those who will appear with the king include his wife Queen Camilla (formerly Camilla Parker Bowles), Prince William and the Princess of Wales (formerly known as Kate Middleton), the king’s brother Prince Edward and the Duchess of Edinburgh (formerly Sophie, Countess of Wessex), as well as Charles’ sister Princess Anne and her husband Timothy Laurence.
However, Laurence is not and never has been a working royal.
He’s been referred to as the ‘invisible’ family member
Sir Timothy Laurence has been married to Princess Anne since 1992. Laurence was in the royal circle even before he and the princess tied the knot as he was an equerry — a personal assistant — for Queen Elizabeth in the ’80s when he met Anne.
The Princess Royal’s husband did not receive a royal title when they got married, however, in 2011 Queen Elizabeth made him a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order. He is not a working royal but accompanies Anne on many of her duties and engagements.
He’s often described as the “invisible” family member because we don’t hear from him or see him in the spotlight much. Laurence is no stranger to the balcony though as he has stood next to his wife for every major royal event.
Other coronation details released
More details about what will happen on May 6 have been released by the palace.
As CNN noted, there will be two processions through the streets of London on coronation day. The first one will take the king to the Westminster Service for the crowning and the second will be a larger parade back to Buckingham Palace. For his journey, King Charles will ride in the Diamond Jubilee State coach.
“Inside is beautifully upholstered in primrose yellow silk, and also fitted into the interior, our particular specimen woods,” Sally Goodsir, the Royal Collection Trust’s curator of decorative arts. “It’s a real microcosm of British and world history. There are woods from the royal residences, from explorations and from other countries and nations as well.”
