King Charles’ Coronation: Why Meghan Markle will regret not attending

Meghan Markle’s absence from the biggest royal event in living memory could cause yet another major family feud for Prince Harry. Here’s why.

OPINION

As she views the live coverage of the grand and glittering spectacle of the Coronation from the confines of her California mansion, Meghan Markle may well feel a sharp pang of regret.

For while the blissfully unaware Prince Archie celebrates his fourth birthday, his grandfather — the one he is technically not estranged from — is being honoured at the biggest royal event in living memory.

The Sussexes’ decision to keep Archie and his younger sister Princess Lilibet away from King Charles’ Coronation smacks of petulance bordering on selfishness.

Meghan Markle’s decision to decline her Coronation invite will be the final nail in the coffin for the royal family. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images for the Invictus Games Foundation

As Prince Harry has reiterated time and time again, he wants to “break the cycle” of the “pain and suffering” of his upbringing with his own children.

But to deny them a part in a once-in-a-lifetime event, while their cousins Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis take centre stage in the proceedings, seems downright unfair.

Even Queen Camilla’s grandkids are playing a part in the Coronation ceremony, despite not being blood relatives of the King.

The Sussexes may be all smiles now but their decision to keep their children away from the Coronation may come back to haunt them. Picture: WireImage

For Ms Markle and Prince Harry, there could be regrets and repercussions in the years to come.

As they grow and mature, Archie and Lilibet may question why they were absent from the historic images and footage of one of the biggest and most spectacular events in royal history.

As they inevitably start to ask their parents more questions about their extended family, the Sussex children may resent the fact that they were seemingly whitewashed from royal history despite their impressive titles.

For Ms Markle, her absence is the final nail in the coffin in her relationship with the family, which will now most certainly be non-existent.

For months she and Prince Harry had the world on tenterhooks as they failed to respond to their Coronation invites and kept King Charles hanging in the balance.

Royal experts were adamant Ms Markle would not miss the Coronation for the world. After all, showing face would mean more currency for the Montecito exiles to milk their royal connections for their endless line of lucrative projects.

Meghan Markle, who sported a glam Hollywood glow-up in a recent video appearance, is clearly moving on to the next phase in her life.

According to British media reports, Ms Markle was “not satisfied” with the royal family’s response to her still unsubstantiated accusations of unconscious bias and racism within The Firm.

So she pulled the plug and said no to the invite, leaving the trash-talking Prince Harry alone to face an icy reception from senior royals who are still bruised from the fallout of his tell-all memoir and TV interviews.

It seems that Prince Harry’s alleged mantra of “What Meghan wants, she gets” — a statement he later denied making — still rings true.

Sporting a Jennifer Lopez-style makeover during a recent video appearance at an event for a photographer friend, Ms Markle appears to be moving onto the next phase of her life.

But by missing out on the Coronation, and by denying her children a key part of their heritage and family’s history, she has sealed her fate with the royal family — there is no way back for her now.

Originally published as King Charles’ Coronation: Why Meghan Markle will regret not attending