Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will have "no control" and will only be "minor figures" at King Charles' Coronation, claims a royal expert. Dr Ed Owens, a royal historian, commentator and author, says the Coronation will be organised in an "extraordinarily careful" manner to avoid unwanted surprises throughout the day.
While the Duke and Duchess are yet to confirm their attendance, he believes their involvement in the day will be "minor" if they do decide to travel to England for it. He told the Express: "Harry and Meghan will have no control over how this event plays out, the Royal Household will have complete control over this event.
"The rehearsal schedule will be extremely intense. Everything will be organised down to the second in terms of how the event is meant to unfold, in terms of the role of the different performers.
"If Harry and Meghan are present on the day, they are going to be minor figures at the fringe of this event."
Dr Owens says Buckingham Palace will have complete control over the day, including its media narrative, having planned each moment down to the minute.
The Palace will be able to "control what images broadcasters can share with the public" as well as other aspects of the day, just like at the funeral service of Queen Elizabeth II.
Over the weekend, a spokesperson for Harry and Meghan confirmed the royal couple had received an invite to the Coronation - but said "an immediate decision on whether the Duke and Duchess will attend" would not be immediately disclosed.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have spoken at length about their fractured relationship with members of the royal family - including King Charles.
Prince Harry and Meghan launched damaging allegations and criticism against the royals and how the Palace operates in various interviews, including in their Netflix documentary and the Harry's tell-all memoir.
However, Harry didn't close the door to reconciliation, saying in multiple interviews he was available to discuss their differences with his royal relatives.
Speaking with ITV's Tom Bradby as part of the promotional tour of his book, Harry said when asked if he would attend the Coronation: "There's a lot that can happen between now and then. But, you know, the door is always open.
"The ball is in their court. There's a lot to be discussed, and I really hope that they are willing to sit down and talk about it."
The Coronation will take place on May 6 at Westminster Abbey and it will be televised around the world.
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