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Prince Harry’s Isolation at Father’s Coronation Event Draws Attention

As King Charles III was crowned monarch in a fairy-tale ending to the ancient pageantry, he and his queen rode off in a gilded horse-drawn carriage to their palace, with Prince William and his family close behind.

Notably absent was the king’s youngest son, Prince Harry, who arrived at Westminster Abbey alone and departed alone. Seated two rows behind his brother, the disgruntled Duke of Sussex was isolated on his father’s biggest day.

This was a consequence of his decision to quit his royal duties and no longer rank as a senior family member, as well as his alienation from his father and brother due to his explosive best-selling memoir, “Spare,” in which he aired grievances and revealed palace secrets.

Any hopes of the coronation helping to thaw the once-close relationship between Harry and his brother were surely dashed. During the ceremony, the siblings did not appear to speak or even acknowledge each other.

Harry had announced he would attend the event alone, leaving his wife, Meghan, and their young children at their Southern California home, after months of speculation.

Harry and Meghan, who is biracial, left their royal duties and relocated to the US in 2020, citing intense scrutiny and racist attitudes from the British press.

They also alleged racial bias within the royal family in a six-part Netflix series. In January, Harry released a bombshell book that revealed intimate details about his life, including losing his virginity behind a pub at 17, taking drugs, and killing enemies in Afghanistan.

The book was critical of his stepmother, Camilla, who was once blamed for wrecking his father’s marriage to his mother, the late Princess Diana.

Harry accused Camilla of leaking private conversations to the media to improve her own image after marrying Charles.

Buckingham Palace had previously announced that Harry and Prince Andrew, the king’s brother, would not have any role in the coronation service.

Andrew, the Duke of York, stepped down from his royal duties after revelations about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

He later settled a lawsuit with a woman who claimed he forced her to have sex with him when she was a teenager and was stripped of his honorary military titles and patronages.

At his father’s coronation, William played a significant role by kneeling at the king’s feet, pledging his loyalty, and kissing him on the cheek. Meanwhile, George served as a page boy, assisting in carrying the train of his grandfather’s robes.

In contrast, Harry arrived at the vast church wearing a black custom Dior three-piece suit with coattails. He wore an honorary cross around his neck, and military medals adorned the left side of his chest. As he made his way down the aisle, he nodded, waved, and exchanged a few words with clergy and guests already seated.

Harry followed his cousin, Princess Eugenie, and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, as they took their seats in the same row. Throughout the two-hour ceremony filled with music and grandeur, all eyes were on Harry, and he even appeared to join the congregation in one of the many refrains of “God save the king.”

Some British tabloids went as far as consulting professional lip readers to interpret what Harry was saying during the ceremony.

According to The Daily Mirror, it appeared that Harry exchanged pleasantries when he entered the church, saying “hello,” “morning,” and “nice to see you.”

In addition to his presence at the coronation, Harry has been busy with a mission to reform the media. He has filed multiple lawsuits against the publishers of British tabloids for a phone-hacking scandal that dates back more than a decade. His trial against the Mirror publisher began on Wednesday in the High Court, and Harry is expected to testify in June.

After the carriages left the church, Harry was spotted waiting for a car, and later seen at Heathrow Airport. He was reportedly returning to Southern California to celebrate his son Archie’s 4th birthday.

Meanwhile, King Charles III and Queen Camilla emerged on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to greet the cheering crowd below. William, Kate, and their three children, along with other senior royals, joined them.

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