King Charles Coronation: King’s surprise message to Prince Harry, Archie

Meghan Markle baked lemon cake with fruits from her California garden as a ‘genuinely disappointed’ King Charles raised a glass to his absent grandson, “wherever he was”.

Meghan Markle spent the King’s coronation serving home-baked lemon cake to celebrate the fourth birthday of Prince Archie, according to new details.

As Prince Harry jetted out of London straight after the historic ceremony, his wife held a “private celebration” with a homemade birthday cake made with fruits from their California garden, according to The Daily Mail.

Quoting a source close to the couple, the Mail reported that Archie’s grandmother Doria Ragland was thought to have attended along with make-up artist Victoria Jackson and some of their celebrity neighbours.

Doria Ragland, right, is thought to have attended an intimate birthday party for Archie. Picture: Twitter

“Some of their friends are celebrities, so yes, that’s likely,” they said of the “small, intimate gathering.

Across the Atlantic, meanwhile, King Charles III was said to have raised a glass to his absent grandson during a private gathering at Buckingham Palace after the public coronation events had ended.

The King seemed “genuinely quite disappointed” that Prince Harry didn’t stay for the post-coronation family gathering, according to the Mail, but he made a point of toasting “those that weren’t there” and wishing Archie a happy birthday “wherever he was”.

“It was apparently a very sweet moment,” the source said.

Prince Harry left immediately after the coronation ceremony to be with his family. Picture: Alexi Lubomirski/Handout/The Duke and Duchess of Sussex

MEGHAN’S FRIEND TAKES DIG AT ROYALS

A close friend of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s has been accused of “shading” the royal family on coronation day.

Photographer Misan Harriman wished the couple’s son Prince Archie a happy birthday on Instagram alongside a touching photo of the baby Archie reaching out to a portrait of his late grandmother, Princess Diana.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s son celebrated his fourth birthday on May 6, the same day as the coronation.

Prince Harry went to the coronation while Meghan Markle stayed home with Princess Lilibet and Prince Archie. Picture: AFP

As such, Prince Harry made a whirlwind visit to the UK to attend his father’s coronation, while Ms Markle remained in California with the couple’s two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, who turns two next month.

The photo was taken from the couple’s Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan, and captured the moment that the Duchess of Sussex held her son up to an iconic photo of his grandmother, which hangs in his nursery.

“Who is that?” Ms Markle asks her son, with Archie then seen reaching out and placing his hand on the photograph.

A friend of the Sussexes has been accused of “shading” the royal family by posting this photo of Archie and Princess Diana on coronation day. Picture: Netflix

“Hey Grandma … That’s your grandma.”

On Instagram, the Nigerian-born British photographer, who has photographed the Sussexes on a number of important occasions, posted the screengrab along with the caption: “Wishing you the happiest of birthdays Archie” along with a heart emoji.

Harriman’s choice of photo prompted some to wonder about the message the photographer was sending, with some suggesting he was “shading” the royal family on the day of the coronation.

“I see you @misanharriman … I see the subtle shade,” one person wrote, while another said: “So poignant Misan. Thank you for sharing this with us!”

“My heart is with Harry and Diana today. The most important thing today is your birthday Archie!” someone else wrote.

Prince Harry attended the coronation without his family. Picture: Getty Images

Others took the opportunity to share their own birthday wishes to Archie, with one person writing: “Such a sweet pic! Happy birthday Prince Archie!! You are loved.”

“Happy birthday little one! May you be surrounded with love and joy on your special day!” another comment reads.

Ms Markle reportedly hosted a “low-key party” for Prince Archie’s fourth birthday, a source told People magazine.

“They’ll have friends around them and Meghan’s mother, Doria [Ragland]. Meghan will definitely have support that weekend.”

Prince Harry spent less than 24 hours in his homeland, arriving in London on Friday night local time, and leaving for the airport immediately after the coronation.

Princess Diana and now-King Charles were married from 1981 to 1996. In a now infamous interview, Princess Diana told the BBC of Camilla, “there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded”. Princess Diana died in 1997 at the age of 36 after she was killed in a car accident in Paris.

ROYAL EXILE STAYS AWAY

Meanwhile, royal exile Ms Markle spent coronation day at her California home making preparations for her son’s birthday after declining to attend the historic event.

Prince Harry flew back to the US within hours of the ceremony.

Notably, Ms Markle will remain at home in California to celebrate the couple’s son Prince Archie’s fourth birthday, which falls on the same day as the coronation.

The Duchess of Sussex declined to attend the Coronation. Picture: AFP

But Ms Markle’s royal-biographer friend said the Duchess’ decision to skip King Charles III’s coronation was more strategic — with the royal family likely “relieved” she is staying thousands of kilometres away.

Omid Scobie — who worked with Ms Markle and Prince Harry for his book about them, Finding Freedom — told UK TV’s This Morning last week that Ms Markle planned to stay in California while her husband Prince Harry made a rare trip home to the UK.

Asked if the King’s family was “relieved” at her decision, Mr Scobie said: “I would say so.”

“And I would put it down to the fact that so much of the attention then goes on someone who they would rather the attention didn’t go onto,” he claimed of the Duchess.

“If you look back at some of Meghan and Harry’s biggest problems, it was all down to the fact that everyone was always talking about them and the attention was on them at times when it shouldn’t have been.”

Prince Harry, 38, and his wife, 41, previously claimed in their Netflix docu-series that their split from royalty was sparked largely by jealousy at the former Suits actress grabbing all the headlines.

Originally published as King Charles Coronation: King’s surprise message to Prince Harry, Archie