WHY HARRY AND MEGHAN HAVE THE “UPPER HAND” IN CORONATION NEGOTIATIONS WITH CHARLES

If you’re trying to keep score amid the unending flurry of updates about the royal family feud, all you need to know is that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have the advantage—at least until the coronation, apparently.

Even though it might seem, to commoners following the drama from the interwebz, like King Charles has hit a breaking point and decided he doesn’t want the Sussexes around (specifically in light of this week’s reports that he’s evicting them from their official UK residence, Frogmore Cottage), that’s still not the case, according to royal experts.

Speaking to Page Six, Hugo Vickers, a writer and royal family friend, said that Charles and his inner circle still very much want the Sussex drama to be under control before his coronation in May. And that’s apparently true whether Harry and Meghan decide to attend the event in person or not.

“Nothing must deflect from the actual coronation, it’s very important,” Vickers explained. “I don’t know if Harry and Meghan will both come [to the coronation], but the message I’m getting is that Charles is concerned about his son and wishes to leave the door open for him.”

Of course, it’s still far from clear what Harry and Meghan will decide to do. They’ve reportedly set some clear conditions for their attendance at the coronation, and even though insider reports haven’t really wavered on the fact that Charles wants them there, there’s a lot less certainty around the Firm’s willingness to meet the Sussexes’ conditions (which seem to include a formal apology—something Harry’s brother, Prince William, is reportedly not even a little willing to give).

Some anonymous royal sources also weighed in on the coronation situation for Page Six, and one made it clear that “winning” in the situation seems to revolve around the ability to dominate headlines on May 6. And by that measure, Harry and Meghan are always going to be in a power position.

“Whatever happens, Harry and Meghan will always be the ones in the headlines,” the source, described as a “Palace insider,” explained. “Whether they come or they stay at home in California, they do hold the upper hand.”

According to another insider that Page Six described as a “well-placed royal source,” Buckingham Palace officials think Harry and Meghan *will* ultimately decide to attend the coronation because “Harry has always vowed to uphold the values of the monarchy…and how do you not come to your father’s coronation?”

2023-03-04T16:17:51Z dg43tfdfdgfd