Does anyone’s 2023 royal family bingo card have “the whole Sussex family looks like the balcony of Buckingham Palace”? Because it looks like it could be a thing that’s actually happening (although, to be honest, we never expected to see the Sussexes joining the balcony for a photo shoot againSpare parts world).
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have reportedly demanded some changes to their family’s proposal for the coronation role before agreeing to RSVP, with the palace stressing that “chaos” could ensue outright.
“The palace is trying to complete the negotiations as quickly as possible because they cannot go directly to the leadership. It could lead to chaos,” a royal insider said. ALRIGHT! magazine. “It may very well be that it ends in a stalemate and they don’t participate. But the palace will do everything to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
After King Charles is crowned, the royals are expected to gather on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to wave to the crowd/give people time to take about a million pictures of them, and Harry and Meghan have reportedly asked them and their children, Archie and Lilibet, to join them. However, given that only working royals are currently expected on the balcony, this is a pretty big ask that still doesn’t seem very likely.
Archie and Lilibet aren’t expected to attend the actual coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey, and Harry and Meghan are said to be perfectly fine with skipping that part of the festivities (because Archie and Lili are three and one, and they’d be doing it when you’re not having any fun at all, be prepared “for restlessness and tantrums”, as a royal source put it). “However, the Sussexes insisted they be included with the rest of the family at the palace later that day,” the source explained (per Mirror).
This week’s final unnamed royal source spilled the beans on Harry and Meghan’s coronation wish list: Literally any recognition on Archie’s birthday, which is the same day as the coronation.
“It’s also Prince Archie’s birthday on Coronation Day, so they’d like some kind of nod to that at the lunch or drinks reception,” the insider added. “Even if it’s just happy birthday.”
More generally, Harry and Meghan are basically asking to be included in the family photo, to be allowed to bring their children to some family gatherings at their grandfather’s house, and for their relatives to say “Happy Birthday” to their son on his birthday.