Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ‘finalising coronation plans’

Plans are being finalised for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to jet to London — but one huge question remains for the royal exiles.

Plans are being finalised for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to jet to the UK for Prince Charles’ coronation, The New York Post reports.

“There have been lengthy discussions between the Sussexes and the palace, there is a time crunch on this, of course,” a source said. “It’s such a historical event and it’s hoped that Harry and Meghan will be there.”

The ultimate decision still lies in Prince Harry’s hands, one source told the Post.

“All families are difficult, but this is no normal family, of course.

“Harry has a lot of questions about how the event will work.”

Prince George, the King’s eldest grandchild, will take a starring role at the May 6 ceremony. Queen Consort Camilla's grandsons, Gus and Louis Lopes, Freddy Parker Bowles will also take part along with her great-nephew Arthur Elliot.

PALACE MOTTO ‘BETTER TO ASK FORGIVENESS THAN PERMISSION’

It was a bad case of nerves that made artist Alistair Barford heed the advice of a cheeky Palace employee: “At the palace, it’s better to ask forgiveness than permission”.

Displaying signs of vulnerability and stress at the daunting task of observing King Charles for his first official portrait, Mr Burford did exactly as suggested and secretly framed a photograph of the monarch from his mobile phone.

Artist Alistair Barford, who has painted the first official portrait of King Charles. Picture: Danielle Gusmaroli

“I observed him as he interacted with those attending the reception, I wasn‘t allowed to take in a camera, I was allowed to take a sketchpad and pencils,” Mr Barford said.

“If I could articulate myself better I wouldn‘t be an artist, but I spoke to one of the photographers there trying to explain the impossibility of what he’d been asked to do.

“And he said at the palace, it‘s better to ask forgiveness than permission. So I ended up taking about 600 photos.

“I went home and trawled through them and produced the portrait in two weeks.”

The first official portrait of King Charles III, painted by Alistair Barford, captures the monarch’s “sensitivity, empathy and warmth”. Picture: Danielle Gusmaroli

The result is a highly expressive oil portrait bearing a remarkable likeness to the sovereign bereft of any royal regalia and robes.

So uncanny is the resemblance that the palace is considering acquiring the artwork that captured the king at a reception at Buckingham Palace held in support of global biodiversity on February 17.

Artist Alistair Barford painted the king in a suit and a bracelet given to him by indigenous Amazon leader Domingo Peas. Picture: Danielle Gusmaroli

Wearing a suit and a bracelet given to him by indigenous Amazon leader Domingo Peas, this is the first official portrait released of King Charles III for which he has given his personal consent.

The bracelet was included to give the portrait context and authenticity, and as a sign of the King’s championing of environmental issues and sustainability.

The release comes as the monarch prepares in four weeks for his official coronation ceremony.

“I had about an hour and a half at the palace with the king, he knew I was there but he didn‘t pose for me, I didn’t get to sit him down, I observed a man, not the king,” said Mr Barford.

“With the majority of portraits of monarchs, the individual the king or queen tends to get lost behind the trappings of state they tend to get lost behind the robes and the grand environments in which they are portrayed but with the coronation, what is changing is not the state but the individual.

“I wanted to to paint the King casually dressed and more informally to create something that is more about the individual than the role,” he said.

“What I observed is a sensitivity, empathy and warmth as he engaged with people in the room.”

Alistair Barford was chosen with the palace support to depict the king in a nod to his late mother Queen Elizabeth II who he painted in 2015.

Mr Barford was chosen with the Palace’s support to depict the King in a nod to the late Queen, who he painted at The Order of Garter Ceremony at Windsor Castle in 2015.

The artist, 37, is a former QEST - Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust - scholar.

“When I looked at pictures of the King at his mother’s funeral, I felt close to tears, this man is deeply sensitive and that day at Buckingham Palace I felt I knew him.”

The portrait was commissioned by the Illustrated London News and will feature on the front cover of its special Coronation Edition.

Lisa Barnard, Chief Executive of Illustrated London News, said: “This is the first painting of The King where the artist has been able to observe the monarch first hand.

“We are grateful for the Palace‘s support in making this happen”.

Originally published as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ‘finalising coronation plans’