King Charles was ‘stubbornly hard to pin down’ over whether Prince Harry and Meghan would be invited to the Coronation, Omid Scobie has claimed.
Harry attended the monarch’s big day in May on his own, with Meghan staying at their home in Montecito, California.
He attended the ceremony in Westminster Abbey and then quickly returned to the US in time to see his son Archie on his birthday.
Writing in his new book Endgame, which has been released in and is published in the UK tomorrow, Scobie claims that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were unsure for months if they were going to be invited.
In response to Harry’s queries about an invite, the King allegedly said in a February phone call initiated by Harry, ‘I… haven’t decided’.
King Charles was ‘stubbornly hard to pin down’ over whether Prince Harry and Meghan would be invited to the Coronation, Omid Scobie has claimed
Scobie adds that whilst the Duke had an ‘extensive list of reasons for skipping the proceedings altogether’, Harry had allegedly told a source that supporting his father ‘”still outweighed other things”‘.
Harry attended the ceremony in a suit, with his medals pinned to his chest, after being told he would not be allowed to wear his military uniform.
But Scobie says Charles gave the disgraced Prince Andrew a ‘firm nod’ to wear his ‘lavish’ Order of the Garter ceremonial robes.
Harry was seen laughing and smiling as he entered the church alongside Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice and their respective husbands Jack Brooksbank and Edo Mapelli Mozzi.
He sat next to the couple in the church, two rows behind Prince William and the Princess of Wales, who were with their two youngest children alongside Prince Edward and the Duchess of Edinburgh.
The Duke of Sussex was reportedly invited to lunch at Buckingham Palace following the service but did not attend.
Harry attended the monarch’s big day in May on his own, with Meghan staying at their home in Montecito, California
Prince Harry smiles as he speaks to Princess Anne during the Coronation
Justin Welby is seen laughing as Harry walks past with a smile on his face inside the abbey
Prince Harry departs Westminster Abbey after the Coronation. He headed straight for the airport to catch a flight back to the US
Before the coronation, Harry announced he would be travelling to the UK without his wife, who was remaining in California to look after their children.
The Prince was reported to have voiced concerns over security and the reputation his family could receive from the public.
Other reports suggested Meghan had been left upset after a letter from Charles did not address claims she had made about her poor mental health.
Sources previously said the decision by Meghan to remain in California had come as a relief in some circles, following fears her presence could have heightened family tensions.
It is also understood there was real concern in the Sussex camp about the public reception the couple would have received if they attended the Coronation together.
Before the coronation, Harry announced he would be travelling to the UK without his wife, who was remaining in California to look after their children
Scobie’s claims about Charles taking a long time to decide whether or not to invite Meghan and Harry come after it was claimed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex delayed accepting the invitation for weeks after receiving it.
This allegedly caused difficulties for organisers tasked with complex seating plans, transport and security for senior members of the Royal Family, world leaders and other dignitaries.
Sources described the negotiations as a game of ‘transatlantic ping pong’, and Harry was said to have wanted numerous assurances about arrangements.
Coronation organisers admitted that they were stressed about Harry’s plans and said that it was like ‘trying to communicate with Mars’.