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A frequently discussed topic among royal watchers since the release of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Netflix documentary and the duke’s tell-all memoir Spare is: Will the Sussexes attend King Charles III’s coronation? When Harry was asked directly about this he said “a lot can happen between now and then” but did not commit to if he and his wife would go.

Even if the pair decides to attend it’s likely that their son, Archie, and their daughter, Lilibet, won’t be at the event with them. Here are three reasons why.

Now-King Charles III with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, whose children likely won't attend the coronation, standing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping The Colour 2018
Now-King Charles III, Meghan Markle, and Prince Harry standing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping The Colour 2018 | Karwai Tang/WireImage

Archie and Lilibet’s ages

King Charles’ coronation will take place on May 6, 2023. That day is also his grandson Archie’s 4th birthday. But according to Hello!, there is another reason we may not see Archie there and it has nothing to do with his birthday.

It’s very likely that the Sussexes kids won’t attend the coronation even if their parents do go because of their age.

When Queen Elizabeth II was officially crowned on June 2, 1953, Princess Anne was 2 years old and therefore deemed too young to attend the actual ceremony. She appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony later with the rest of her family. Anne’s older brother then-Prince Charles was 4 years old at the time and was allowed to attend the coronation but that was because of his position as the next in line to the British throne after his mother.

The Queen Mother and then-Prince Charles with Princess Margaret standing in the royal box at Westminster Abbey watching the Coronation ceremony of Queen Elizabeth II
The Queen Mother and then-Prince Charles with Princess Margaret standing in the royal box at Westminster Abbey watching the Coronation ceremony of Queen Elizabeth II | Topical Press Agency/Getty Images

The children’s position in the line of succession

Meghan and Harry’s kids’ position in the line of succession also has to do with why they probably won’t be at the ceremony.

The Duke of Sussex is currently fifth in line behind Prince William and his three children, meaning that Archie is in sixth place after his dad and Lilibet is seventh in line.

Moreover, no one expects that either child will ever be a working royal now that their parents aren’t which is another reason they likely won’t attend the affair.

No major public appearances

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Finally, it’s widely believed that Archie and Lilibet will be absent from the king’s coronation because Meghan and Harry are in control and careful when it comes to how much of their kiddos the public gets to see.

Photos of the two children over the years have been scarce with the couple releasing a Christmas card showing both the two siblings together for the first time in late 2021. Their little ones have never appeared at a public event including the late queen’s Platinum Jubilee last June even though they were in England with their mom and dad for that.

The Sussexes did share footage of both children in their Harry & Meghan docuseries but it would surprise a lot of people if they wanted to bring them to a coronation that will be watched by millions around the world.

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