Does anyone have “the entire Sussex family making a Buckingham Palace balcony appearance” on their 2023 royal family bingo cards? Because it looks like it could be a thing that actually happens (although, frankly, we never expected to see a Sussex take part in a balcony photo again in a post-Spare parts world).
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly pushed for some changes to their family’s proposed role in the coronation before agreeing to respond, with the palace stressing that “chaos” could ensue outright.
“The palace is trying to end the negotiations as soon as possible because they cannot get down to the wire. It could lead to chaos,” said a royal insider. OKAY! magazine. “It could well be that it ends in a stalemate and they don’t want to participate. But the Castle is doing everything in its power not to let that happen.”
After King Charles is crowned, the royals are expected to gather on the Buckingham Palace balcony to wave to the crowd/give people time to take a bajillion or so photos of them, and Harry and Meghan have reportedly requested that they and their children, Archie and Lilibet, are included. However, as only working royals are currently expected to be invited to appear on the balcony, this is a pretty big ask, and it still doesn’t seem very likely that they will be granted.
Archie and Lilibet are not expected to attend the actual coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey, and Harry and Meghan are reportedly perfectly fine with skipping that part of the festivities (as Archie and Lili are three and one respectively, and would not having fun, being prone to “restlessness and tantrums”, as the royal source put it). “But what the Sussexes are pushing for is for them to be included with the rest of the family at the palace later that day,” the source explained (per The mirror).
The final item this week’s unnamed royal source spilled from Harry and Meghan’s coronation wish list: Literally any kind of recognition on Archie’s birthday, which is the same day as the coronation.
“It’s also Prince Archie’s birthday on Coronation Day, so they’ll want some sort of nod to that at a lunch or drinks reception,” added the insider. “Even if it’s just a happy birthday mention.”
So, to summarize in layman’s terms, Harry and Meghan are basically asking to be included in a family photo, to be allowed to take their children to some family parties at their grandfather’s house, and for their relatives to say “Happy Birthday ” to their son on his birthday.