Prince Harry Eliminated From Key Moment in King Charles III’s Coronation After Changes to Ceremony Rules
Plans are already underway within the royal family to modify King Charles III’s coronation ceremony. The last royal coronation was Queen Elizabeth II‘s in 1953. However, in an attempt to bring the ceremony into a more modern age, Charles has reportedly championed a series of changes. One of these modifications includes a pivotal coronation moment that eliminates Prince Harry.
King Charles III must unite his fractured family for the monarchy’s good
Pauline Maclaran, professor of consumer research at Royal Holloway, University of London, said to the Los Angeles Times that Charles must set himself apart from the reign of his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II. “We must separate the huge support and love for the queen from the much smaller support for the monarchy.”
“The family has to manage this like a brand transition,” she added. “If Charles becomes the only face of the monarchy, he will not get the support he needs. So they will bring [Charles’ son] William and Kate into the forefront more and more as well as the young royals, such as [their son] George.”
Along with employing the more popular royals to become the family’s face, Charles must also find ways to unite his fractured clan. Queen Elizabeth II reigned with stoicism and dignity while facing some of her most significant challenges. Charles must balance life as the face of a broken monarchy as his son, Prince Harry, heavily promotes his new book Spare, and the public looks to the royals to respond.
However, in his plans to streamline the monarchy, it appears Charles will alienate those closest to him. He has chosen to modify his coronation and eliminate his son Prince Harry, his beleaguered brother, Prince Andrew, and his youngest sibling, Prince Edward, as key players in this pivotal life moment.
Why was Prince Harry eliminated from a critical moment in King Charles III’s coronation ceremony?
According to a report by The Sunday Times, the king has decided against having his male relatives kneel before him during the ceremony. Due to the change, Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, and Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester, will play no formal roles in the ceremony. As dukes, these men hold the highest title in the royal peerage.
“As things stand, there is no role for Harry in the service,” The Sunday Times reported. “The king is no less hurt because he personally hasn’t been the focus of the majority of the anger and frustration of the book. He feels it as keenly. It is no less painful for him because the focus is on his son rather than him. There is a lot of family pain.”
During the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Edinburgh paid homage to the newly-crowned monarch, followed by the Duke of Kent and the Duke of Gloucester. However, Charles decided against having his male relatives kneel before him to pledge their allegiance.
The Prince of Wales, Harry’s older brother will still pay homage to the king. Kneeling before his feet. Prince William will promise to be a “liege man of life and limb” to his father.
Will Prince Harry attend his father’s coronation?
“The door is always open.”
— ITV (@ITV) January 5, 2023
Prince Harry sits down for an exclusive interview with Tom Bradby this Sunday at 9pm on ITV1.
Harry: The Interview | Watch on ITV1 or stream on ITVX at 9pm on Jan 8.@tombradby #ITV #ITVX pic.twitter.com/dJotkK7pOz
Prince Harry addressed whether or not he would attend his father’s coronation to ITV News anchor Tom Bradby. In his interview, he asked the Duke of Sussex about his thoughts on the subject.
“If you are invited to the Coronation, will you come?” Bradby asked Harry. “There’s a lot that can happen between now and then,” he responded.
“But, the door is always open. The ball is in their court,” continues Harry. “There’s a lot to be discussed, and I hope they’re willing to sit down and talk about it.”
