Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, made a public appearance at his father’s Coronation held at Westminster Abbey, marking the first time he was seen with his family since the release of his controversial memoir, Spare. However, he attended the ceremony alone, as his wife Meghan remained in the United States. Shortly after the service, Prince Harry left to catch a return flight from Heathrow, missing the opportunity to appear on the balcony at Buckingham Palace following the event.

Wearing a morning suit and medals, Prince Harry sat in the third row alongside his cousin Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank, as well as his uncle, the Duke of York, Prince Andrew. In the front rows, two rows ahead, were the Prince and Princess of Wales, their children Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.

The absence of Meghan from the occasion was attributed to ongoing family tensions, which were further strained by the revelations in Prince Harry’s memoir. The book candidly exposed disputes and disagreements within the royal family, leading Prince Harry to express his sense of being “different” from his relatives.

In addition, it recently came to light that the King attempted to dissuade Prince Harry from pursuing legal action against newspapers regarding alleged phone-hacking. Prince Harry disclosed in court documents that he was summoned to Buckingham Palace, where he was urged to drop the cases to protect the family’s reputation.

The Duke of Sussex’s attendance at the Coronation without Meghan and his prompt departure afterward highlights the persisting rift between Prince Harry and other members of the royal family. Despite not having a formal role as a working member of the Royal Family, his presence at the ceremony signifies a tentative reconnection with his relatives, albeit against a backdrop of unresolved tensions and strained relationships.