A chorus of distinguished former British politicians, soldiers and historians shared a message for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: Don’t attend King Charles’ coronation next year.
The couple’s explosive Netflix documentary, released on Thursday, should be the final straw that marks the end of their relationship with the royal family, several prominent UK figures told the Daily Mail on Friday.
David Mellor, a former cabinet minister and Tory senator, said the Duke and Duchess of Sussex “shouldn’t be coming” to Westminster Abbey when Charles is crowned on May 6.
“They make money by selling their family down the river.” I think it should be clear that the British people do not want them there,” Mellor said.
The former cabinet minister added that Britain “would have every right to boo if the pair turned up.” They are a sorry pair and there is no hope for them on their present course.”
Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith questioned why the couple would even be interested in attending the coronation “if they dislike the royal family so much.”
Author and historian Lady Antonia Fraser said she hoped former royals would stay away so as not to draw attention away from King Charles and Queen Camilla.
“It worries me that if they do come, the cameras might waste time on them.” They should hold hands in Hollywood,” said Fraser.
The scathing criticism comes just days after the first three episodes of Harry and Meghan’s Netflix documentary flopped, attracting thousands of viewers.
The couple made several accusations against the royal family, including that they had an “unconscious bias” in relation to Markle’s race and that King Charles did not take enough care of Harry after Diana’s death.
Harry also seems to have made the point that Prince William didn’t marry Princess Kate out of love, but because she fit the royal image well.
Dai Davies, a former head of royal protection, said the couple’s allegations could pose a security risk to the royal family, which has historically kept personal matters close to its chest.
“We don’t know what venom will come out next, but given what has been said, whether it’s a half-truth, a lie or a mockery of the royal family, how can anyone want them to be invited to the coronation?” Davies said.
“The declaration of the monarchy and the commonwealth as racist is an affront to the British and British people,” he said. “The false narrative presented in this series could lead to people with a fixation on the royal family acting out their fantasies.”
According to renowned historian Lord Andrew Roberts, members of the royal family have not been invited to coronations in the past, making it easy for the royal family to rule out Harry and Meghan, who decided to leave the family of their own accord in 2020.
“Queen Caroline wasn’t invited to George IV’s coronation, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor weren’t at George VI’s in 1937 and Elizabeth II’s German counterpart wasn’t invited in 1953, so there are plenty of precedents for not inviting people who would be a distraction on and detract from the focus of the great day,” he said.
It is not clear whether Harry and Meghan will be welcomed to the coronation or to any future royal events, Tom Bower told Page Six. The couple may not even be welcome in the UK after the Netflix series.
Chris Parry, a retired vice-admiral, believes the couple have “forfeited their right to be part of the Royal Family any longer.”
“Frankly, they have shown that they are unreliable in terms of recording things and reporting them,” he added. “The coronation is another red carpet event for them – and they’ll probably be stomping and talking.” They are not in keeping with the dignity and importance of the occasion.”
Tory MP Bob Seely said: “If I were them I’d stay away – but they obviously want to turn up and make money afterwards.”
