We’re in the final countdown to the big day, but despite Harry’s requests, Buckingham Palace has refused to confirm a major detail about the coronation. Photo / AP
Those counting down the days to the coronation will be well aware that May 6 is only a week away. However, Prince Harry is reportedly still in the dark over a coronation detail that will guarantee fame or shame for the Montecito royal.
Buckingham Palace has not shared any details on the seating arrangements, meaning Harry could very well be in the nosebleeds on his father’s big day instead of front-and-centre with his fellow relatives.
Princess Diana’s former butler seems to think this will be the case.
Paul Burrell - who famously was accused by Harry and William of “betraying” their mother when he publicised her private letters - claimed earlier this week that the Duke of Sussex would likely be hidden in the “10th row” during the ceremony.
“Harry has not been told where he’s sitting yet, but I highly doubt that [it’s as far back as the 10th row],” a source told Page Six.
“Harry’s going to show up to support his dad. All I know is that it’s a stretch to ask much more for him … he doesn’t have any sort of agenda other than just getting in and getting out.”
Harry confirmed earlier this month that he would be attending his father’s coronation alone, with his wife Meghan Markle staying in California with their two kids: Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
The Daily Mail reports that Prince Harry’s team had been posing “a lot of questions” regarding where he - and the rest of the monarchy - would be sitting.
“Harry’s side was keen to find out, presumably because they wanted to rubberstamp it, what the seating plan at the Abbey is. There’s been extensive back and forth about who they [Harry and Meghan] would be sitting behind if they came. And who would be behind them,” a royal source told the newspaper.
Another insider added: “This is true. There have been a lot of questions on detail for the Abbey.”
During the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022, Harry and Meghan were seated far away from Charles, Camilla, William and Kate.
What’s more, the couple were seated in the second row behind Will and Kate during the late Queen’s funeral last year.
In the couple’s Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan, the Montecito royals revealed that they received a “cold” reception during their last official royal event prior to leaving the UK.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were candid about the high tensions during the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey in March 2020 – which was the first time they’d seen the royal family in months.
“We were nervous seeing the family because [of] all the TV cameras and everybody watching at home and everybody watching in the audience,” revealed Meghan in the Netflix series.
“It’s like living through a soap opera where everybody else views you as entertainment.”
Harry went on: “I felt really distant from the rest of my family, which was interesting because so much of how they operate is about what it looks like, rather than what it feels like. And it looked cold, but it also felt cold.”