Amongst all the pomp and ceremony at the forefront of the coronation, King Charles and Queen Camilla have set some time aside to spend with their loved ones during an intimate gathering. Buckingham Palace has confirmed that Their Majesties will host a private lunch with members of their families on the historic day Charles is crowned.
They have not disclosed who exactly will be in attendance, but it is likely that their children and grandchildren will be there. The Duke of Sussex has flown to the UK to attend the historic occasion. Harry travelled alone – his wife Meghan Markle and their two children have remained in California. It is not known how long Harry will stay in the UK but it seems he may want to fly home as soon as possible to celebrate his son Prince Archie's fourth birthday, which falls on the same day as the coronation.
The King and Queen Consort will be crowned in a joint coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey. The congregation will include 2,200 guests, including members of the royal family, foreign royals, heads of state and foreign ministers, alongside community and charity champions.
Following the service, the newly crowned King and Queen Consort will return to Buckingham Palace in the Gold State Coach. Charles and Camilla will then receive a royal salute in the Buckingham Palace gardens from the military troops on parade. They are then expected to appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony alongside working members of the royal family.
After the royal procession, members of the royal family will gather at Buckingham Palace for the private lunch. They will all attend the coronation concert at Windsor Castle on Sunday evening, with Take That, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie among the star-studded line-up.
Earlier this year, Prince Harry revealed he intended to be at his father's coronation. During a chat with Tom Bradby, the 38-year-old said he still believes in the monarchy but when asked if he will play a part in its future, he replied: "I don't know". Asked about being invited, Harry – who quit royal life in January 2020 - said: "There's a lot that can happen between now and then. 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."
Saturday marks the first time Harry will be reunited with his family since the release of his explosive Netflix docuseries last December and tell-all memoir, Spare, published in January. Harry's controversial autobiography includes claims his brother William physically attacked him and that the King put his own interests above Harry's, and was jealous of the Duchess of Sussex and the Princess of Wales.