bitchy | The palace believes Prince Harry will confirm his plans ‘now that Biden has’

Every day this week, I’ve written these “Salt Island is freaking out because the Sussexes won’t confirm if they’re coming to the coronation” stories and I’ve thought every time, maybe this will be the day they (hopefully) come out and say they’re declining the invitation. Well, another day is here and as of this moment, no confirmation either way. While I might have to furiously rewrite some posts here or there, I actually hope that the Sussexes keep the Windsors guessing for weeks longer. Can you even imagine how hysterically unhinged the narrative will be if this goes on for another week? Another two weeks? I honestly believe that the Archewell spokesperson will probably say something soon though. Anyway, The Times’ Valentine Low got the same briefing as Becky English at the Daily Mail: the Sussexes have gone radio silent, the palace is planning for them to come, the king will not apologize to Meghan. A new wrinkle: they believe Harry was waiting for President Biden to decline the invitation. LMAO.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are believed to be on the brink of confirming whether they will attend King Charles’s coronation at Westminster Abbey next month, The Times understands. The couple have still not told Buckingham Palace whether either or both of them will fly over from Montecito, California, for the ceremony on May 6, despite reports that the deadline for RSVPs passed on Monday.

However, now that President Biden has told the King by phone that he will not be attending in favour of sending his wife, Jill, to represent the United States, the Sussexes are expected to reveal their plans within days. A source told The Times: “I hear they are going to confirm their plans soon, particularly now that Biden has.”

In the absence of a firm answer from Montecito, Buckingham Palace has been operating on the assumption that the duke and duchess will be at the coronation. A source told The Times recently that palace staff believed Harry would come but were less sure about Meghan. Even if they did attend, they would not take part in the procession after the service or join other working members of the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

It is understood that no invitation has yet been extended to the Sussexes’ children, Prince Archie, who turns four on the day of the ceremony, and Princess Lilibet, who will be two in June. Their parents have confirmed they have been in email contact with Buckingham Palace.

Sources have previously claimed that Harry wanted a private apology from the King and the Prince of Wales about how he and Meghan were treated by the royal family before he would consider attending the coronation. However, given the criticism he aimed at the royal family in the Sussexes’ Netflix series and his memoir Spare, along with the details he revealed in both of private conversations, it is clear that the royal family has no desire to pander to his wishes. They also do not acknowledge that they have anything to apologise for.

Harry has had little or no direct communication with his father since the Queen’s funeral, while relations with his brother, William, are at an even lower ebb. “The relationship isn’t even rock bottom now, it’s non-existent,” a source told the Daily Mail. “And I just don’t see, if Harry were to come to the coronation, how William could even bring himself to look his brother in the face.”

[From The Times]

No, they really believe that Harry was sitting in his Montecito mansion, checking CNN for updates about the Bidens’ attendance before he made a decision? Isn’t it far more likely that Harry spoke to Elton John? The same Elton who turned down Charles’s request to perform at his big Chubbly party? That’s what I think – Harry has been paying closer attention to how many celebrities and musicians have turned down offers to perform or appear. There’s blood in the water, the jig is up – one of the biggest reasons why the Windsors and the British media have been so insistent that Harry must come is because he has such star power. If Harry doesn’t come, it’s all pale and stale, no pizzazz, just pegs.

And after all this time… the palace still didn’t extend an invitation to Archie and Lilibet, and the palace briefings are making it clear that Meghan is unwelcome too. King Charles is practically putting up the “Whites Only” sign at this Struggly.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.