Global Courant 2023-05-06 19:10:00
LONDON –
Prince Harry, the youngest son of King Charles III, attended his father’s coronation at Westminster Abbey on Saturday, although he had to settle for a third-row seat behind other members of the royal family.
It was unclear until early April whether Harry, who now lives in California, would attend the historic occasion following an argument with his family.
In his book “Spare”, published in January, he criticizes his father, his stepmother Queen Camilla and his brother Prince William.
Harry, 38, smiled as he arrived at the abbey, dressed in a morning suit and with medals on his chest. The prince is an army veteran who served in Afghanistan.
He nodded to members of the congregation as he joined heads of state, dignitaries and representatives of the arts, military, charity and sport at the abbey.
But there was no formal role for him and he sat in the third row behind working members of the royal family, alongside his disgraced uncle Prince Andrew, who was forced to resign his royal duties due to his friendship with the late American financier Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender.
Harry, who is the Duke of Sussex, said last month he would attend without his wife Meghan and two young children, who have remained in the United States. His eldest child Archie celebrated his fourth birthday on Saturday.
Harry was once one of the most popular members of the royal family and his wedding to Meghan, an American actor, in May 2018 at Windsor Castle was a grand affair that drew enthusiastic crowds.
But his decision to step down from royal duties and the split with his family have divided public opinion.
Lisa Penny, 53, a supermarket worker from Dorset who was among the crowds in London on Saturday, said: “I think he’s done quite a bit of damage and I think they need some time to get over that. I’m glad he’s here for his father.”
“He will always be a Prince Harry to a lot of people, but for the other royal titles, no (he shouldn’t hold them). He’s not a royal anymore, he doesn’t do any duties, he doesn’t live in the country,” she said .
Jacqueline Brown, 28, a museum janitor who had come from Missouri in the United States to witness the events, was still happy to see him there.
“He’s the king’s son, he should be here to support him. It’s nice that he’s doing that despite everything,” she said.
(Reporting by Suban Soraia and Kate Holton; Writing by Angus MacSwan, Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
