After weeks of speculation, Buckingham Palace recently confirmed that—while Prince Harry is flying to England and attending his father’s coronation—Meghan Markle will stay in California with their kids, Archie and Lilibet. And the Duchess of Sussex is reportedly hoping that her decision to opt out will be seen as a selfless one by King Charles.
“Meghan doesn’t want any more rifts,” a source tells Page Six. “She wants her children to know their grandfather, Charles, particularly when they are not going to know their other grandfather. She does hope they will meet and hopes her decision will be seen as an unselfish one, as it was best to keep the attention on His Majesty.”
The source added that Meghan decided to skip the coronation to avoid drama, saying “She just really doesn’t want a song and dance and everything being lived out in the public eye.”
Meanwhile, King Charles and Prince Harry appear to be working on things, with an insider saying “There is now, more than ever, a willingness to try and have a relationship.”
Harry’s also still close to his cousins Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, but he’s v. much not on speaking terms with his brother Prince William. As one source put it, “Even though Meghan is not going, it’s still going to be extremely awkward.”
FYI, Harry’s expected to fly back to California immediately after the 11:00 am coronation ceremony, and could arrive home in that same day thanks to the time difference. “Harry’s going to make every effort to get back in time for Archie’s birthday,” the source said. “It’s going to be an intimate party, it’s not going to be like ‘My Super Sweet 16’ or Portia de Rossi’s 50th!”