Meghan Markle is said to be “overwhelmed” following all the negative scrutiny she and Prince Harry have received from their tell-alls, leaving many to wonder if they’ll attend the coronation.
Harry’s father, King Charles III, will be crowned alongside Camilla, the queen consort, on May 6 at London’s Westminster Abbey. It’s uncertain whether the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will attend.
The former Prince Charles became king upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in September. (Alastair Grant – WPA Pool via Getty Images)
“Meghan is upset and overwhelmed,” Kinsey Schofield, host of the “To Di For Daily” podcast, told Fox News Digital.
“It’s not that Meghan feels excluded with the planning,” she claimed. “Meghan feels like the palace is only fighting for Prince Harry to attend and they don’t care whether she shows up or not. And that does not sit well with her. Rejection is one of Meghan’s greatest insecurities. She does not want to be booed or humiliated on a global scale, yet she understands that her brand stateside increases in value with her proximity to the royal family.”
Kinsey Schofield, host of the “To Di For Daily” podcast, claimed to Fox News Digital that Meghan Markle “feels like the palace is only fighting for Prince Harry” to attend King Charles III’s coronation in May. (Samir Hussein/WireImage via Getty Images)
The former American actress and her spouse have faced intense media scrutiny following their six-part Netflix docuseries “Harry & Meghan” and Harry’s explosive memoir “Spare.” In January’s sit-down with ITV’s Tom Bradby, Harry didn’t confirm if he would accept an invitation to his father’s coronation.
“There’s a lot that can happen between now and then,” said the 38-year-old. “But the door is always open. The ball is in their court… There’s a lot to be discussed, and I really hope that they’re willing to sit down and talk about it.”
Tom Bradby and Prince Harry chatted ahead of the release of ‘Spare,’ which chronicles Harry’s royal life. (ITV)
Schofield pointed out that allegedly, Harry wants “to secure a meeting” with the king, 74, and Prince William so that he doesn’t “feel iced out throughout the event.” However, it is believed palace staff have told Harry “the king is too busy.”
“If Harry does attend, I expect that he will feel a sense of loneliness,” said Schofield.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
Prince Harry previously attended Prince Philip’s funeral on his own. (Victoria Jones)
Several royal experts have speculated that the significant drop in the couple’s popularity in the U.K. might make them think twice about their travel plans for Charles’ big day.
“It’s increasingly beginning to look as if Harry and Meghan might well opt out of the coronation,” Christopher Andersen, author of “The King,” told Fox News Digital. “There are genuine security concerns, to be sure, and then there is the prospect of the Sussexes being roundly booed. Harry and Megan are still licking their wounds over having been sidelined during the queen’s funeral [in September]. It’s highly doubtful that they would be willing to face the prospect of that sort of public humiliation again, particularly on [their son] Archie’s birthday.”
The TV show “South Park” mocked Prince Harry’s memoir “Spare,” referring to the prince’s book as “WAAAGH.” (Comedy Central)
“The fracture has been seismic, particularly in light of Harry’s scathing attacks on his brother in ‘Spare,’” Andersen shared. “Harry and Meghan can’t possibly imagine that William and [his wife] Kate [Middleton] will greet him with open arms, or at this point even pretend to regard the Sussexes with anything other than chilly disdain.”
Despite the former “Suits” star allegedly being cast aside, Andersen doesn’t believe she will stay behind in California.
Royal experts agreed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will likely be met with a frosty welcome if they travel across the pond. (Phil Harris – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
“Would Harry attend alone? Not likely, in light of Archie’s birthday – and the fact that Harry and Meghan have to put up a united front,” he pointed out. “Anything less than that would lead to speculation that perhaps Harry is having second thoughts about turning his back on the monarchy.”
Schofield, on the other hand, is placing her bets on Harry attending the coronation alone while the duchess stays home with their two young children – away from the British press.
“I think there is a possibility that Harry could do a quick turnaround for the coronation alone,” Schofield explained. “He did say during the Netflix documentary that he missed aspects of royal life and I believe traditions are one of them. Based on his military experience, duty is also important to him and there is a sense that it is his duty to attend as the son of the sovereign.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex during Trooping the Colour, 2018, in London. The couple resides in California with their two children. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
“He felt comfortable enough to attend Prince Philip’s initial funeral service alone,” Schofield continued. “Harry reveals in ‘Spare’ that Prince William and their father attempted to confront him about his interview with Oprah Winfrey [in 2021] at that time. While ‘Willy’ desperately pleaded with his brother that he loves him… Harry seemed to reject the outreach.”
MEGHAN MARKLE HAS BEEN ‘UPSET AND OVERWHELMED’ BY PORTRAYAL ON ‘SOUTH PARK’ EPISODE: REPORT
Sources recently told The Daily Telegraph it’s a complicated situation. If the couple opts out, they’ll be accused of “snubbing” the royal family. But if the Sussexes attend, they’re at risk of “being booed or labeled hypocrites.” Friends of the couple also alleged to the outlet that the Sussexes will not make a decision about attending the coronation until they receive a formal invitation. And if they do attend, the visit would be “brief.”
“They are being invited and have been encouraged to respond in a timely manner,” royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital. “If they do attend, they must ‘stick to the plan.’ This is considered both good manners and, of course, for planning purposes.”
“Given the date falls on Archie’s 4th birthday, Meghan has the perfect out,” Fordwich revealed. “Harry is likely to be in a hurry and beyond harried… If they decline, they will look petty. If they accept, they are then open to charges of hypocrisy and will be questioned regarding the legitimacy of their claims. Worse yet, if one or both of them attend neither the king nor the royals or even security will be able to control the potential negative sentiment expressed by the British public.”
Meghan Markle attended the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. Britain’s longest-reigning monarch passed away on Sept. 8, 2022, at age 96. (Tom Jenkins – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
“It’s a lose-lose situation for them,” Fordwich added. “Being a laughingstock is not what Meghan nor Harry set out to accomplish.”
Harry admitted to Bradby that he wants his father and brother back, noting he yearns for “a family, not an institution.” He has previously spoken about his estrangement from his father and elder brother since he departed from the U.K.
In early 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced that they were quitting royal duties and moving to North America, citing what they said were the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media. They now reside in Montecito, California, with their two young children.
Camilla, the queen consort, will be crowned alongside her husband, King Charles III. (Victoria Jones – Pool/Getty Images)
Charles, who became king after the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September, faces the challenge of modernizing Britain’s 1,000-year-old monarchy to guarantee its survival. He has already said he plans to reduce the number of working royals and reduce the cost of the monarchy.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.