,type=downsize)
Prince Harry will be on the other side of the pond when his and Meghan Markle ’s son Prince Archie turns four. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s eldest child will celebrate his fourth birthday on the same day his grandfather King Charles III is crowned at London’s Westminster Abbey.
Buckingham Palace confirmed on April 12 that Harry will attend the coronation without Meghan. “Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on 6th May,” the palace said in a statement (via Sky News). “The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.”
BAZAAR reported that Archie’s fourth birthday on May 6 “influenced Meghan’s decision to stay behind.” Meanwhile, a friend told PEOPLE that Harry “wanted to be at the service to support his father at this important moment in his life.”
The Duchess of Sussex has not returned to the UK since Queen Elizabeth’s funeral last September. The couple visited Harry’s homeland with their children, Princess Lilibet and Prince Archie, last year for Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Harry and Meghan’s daughter celebrated her first birthday during the trip, which marked her first visit to the UK.
The coronation next month will be the first time Harry has appeared in public with members of the royal family since the release of his memoir Spare. Ahead of the book’s release, the Duke was asked if he would attend his father’s coronation if invited. “There’s a lot that can happen between now and then,” Harry said.
“But, you know, the door is always open. The ball is in their court,” he added. “There’s a lot to be discussed and I really hope that they’re willing to sit down and talk about it.”