Buckingham Palace has already announced the coronation day for King Charles next year. Vanity Fair royal editor Katie Nicholl weighed in on who will be invited to the event and what Prince William's role will be in the ceremony.
Prince William Will Have A Key Role In Father King Charles' Coronation Ceremony
The author of The New Royals spoke with Entertainment Tonight about the details of King Charles' coronation. According to her, close and extended family members are expected to witness the event. She also heard that the new Prince of Wales will have a key role during the ceremony.
"We are certainly expecting extended family, close family members to be at the coronation," Nicholl told ET. "The Prince of Wales, Prince William -- my understanding from sources close to the prince is that he is going to have a very key role. He will be heavily involved, and not just with the planning of the coronation, but the actual ceremony itself."
She didn't go into details as to what Kate Middleton's husband's key role would be. Instead, Nicholl said King Charles' coronation would be different from Queen Elizabeth's. Prince Charles' coronation will be televised, but the service will be shorter. It will last for an hour instead of three hours, and the number of people invited will be fewer.
Queen Elizabeth invited 8,000 VIPs and dignitaries. King Charles is expected to have fewer guests, around 2,000, Nicholl added.
"It's not the case that the Abbey is going to look empty by any means, and in terms of pomp and pageantry, what're we going to see -- lots of concerns over here in the U.K. that might also be scaled back, but my sources assure me that there will be plenty of spectacle, pomp and all the pageantry you can expect for a ceremony that is really nearly 1,000 years old," the Harry: Life, Love and Loss author added.
Queen Consort Camilla Wants Meghan Markle And Prince Harry Present At The Coronation
Several sources claimed that Prince Harry has still not forgiven his stepmother, Queen Consort Camilla, for having an affair with his father while the latter was still married to his mom, Princess Diana. However, Camilla had been trying to help the father and son mend their fences.
Camilla is "very keen" for Prince Harry and Markle to attend King Charles' coronation. However, the decision would be up to Prince William's brother and sister-in-law.
"It's going to be a decision for Harry and Megan to make," she said. "In my book, The New Royals, I do talk about how behind the scenes, Camilla has done really everything she can to try and bring this family back together, and press the importance of trying to move on from this rift, and I think she would be very pleased, as would the king for Harry and Meghan to be at the coronation."
King Charles' coronation falls on the same day as Prince Harry and Markle's son Archie's 4th birthday. Nicholl clarified that the schedule was not a snub to the Sussexes. In her opinion, it's a "happy coincidence."
"Having the coronation on Archie's birthday is definitely not a snub. I think it's very much a happy coincidence," Nicholl explained. "Obviously, a huge amount of planning has to go into an important moment in history, such as a coronation, and the royal calendar is full of anniversaries and birthdays, so I think this is absolutely one of those occasions where it's a coincidence and hopefully a happy coincidence."
King Charles' coronation will be on May 6, 2023, at Westminster Abbey in London and will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Further details will be announced in due course.
Stay tuned for more news and updates about Prince William, Prince Harry and King Charles.
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!
Pop Culture