Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Reportedly Want to Attend the Coronation, But Are Negotiating Their Terms

That will go down well!

buckingham palace balcony
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been invited to King Charles III's coronation on May 6, but have so far refused to say whether they will be attending.

Apparently, that's not because they think it's fun to toy with nosy people like me's emotions, but because they genuinely haven't made a decision, and won't until they come to a series of compromises with the King and the Royal Family.

Their first order of business? Asking that their son Archie's birthday be acknowledged.

"Archie’s birthday falls on May 6, coronation day, and the Sussexes want the family to recognize that," a source told OK!. "The Sussexes have asked for some kind of celebration or acknowledgement to be factored into the day’s plans to ensure that his fourth birthday won’t get lost during the momentous day."

Following their eviction from Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, the Sussexes were apparently offered an apartment in Buckingham Palace, but they're asking to stay with Princess Eugenie and her family at Frogmore instead, according to OK!'s sources. (Eugenie is taking over the home from the Sussexes.)

"They want their children to spend time with other family members, especially their cousin August who is around about the same age as Lilibet. Both couples get on extremely well and are keen for their children to be close," a source told OK! (it's unclear whether this is the same source as the first).

This source added that the Sussexes reportedly want to be included on the Buckingham Palace balcony on the day. "This could prove a real sticking point because the Palace have narrowed it down to only working members of the Royal Family on the balcony," they said. "Harry and Meghan are keen that they too should be a part of that special family moment."

Last but not least, the California-based couple need to know that they and their children will be safe if they return to the U.K.

"There is still an ongoing legal case between the Sussexes and the Home Office over their security. The couple wants more security while they are in the U.K. and this needs to be ironed out before they attend the coronation," the source said.

That seems like a lot of things to figure out in less than two months, especially considering the state of the Sussexes' relationship with their family. Sigh.

Iris Goldsztajn
Morning Editor

Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Bustle and Shape. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.