King Charles ‘practising Coronation in the palace’

King Charles has been warned by a royal expert not to punish Prince Harry by banishing him to the back of Westminster Abbey at the Coronation. Historian and biographer Gareth Russell has advised that where Harry is sitting will show the world how he is being treated by his family, saying he would put the prince “front and centre”.

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The Duke will be attending the Coronation without his wife Meghan Markle, and although he is no longer a working member of the Firm he is still a close family member of the King.

Gareth Russell told this week’s edition of True Royalty TV’s The Royal Beat: “If I was advising [the Palace] on PR, I would put [Harry] up close and centre. I don’t think it will look good [if he’s not]. ]

“It will look petty, even if it’s a reason of state or politics. And this is fundamentally not a family reunion, this is an occasion of state and of theology as much as anything else.

“But this is also something with an eye to the visual, and how it will play out in the world. If it looks like the Duke of Sussex is being punished or relegated, it will feed into a potential narrative of the family being seen again as heartless and petty.”

Vanity Fair Royal Editor Katie Nicholl added: “He can’t look like he’s been shoved into one of the lesser pews. He’s a family member, he’s the King’s second son, he’s coming over for the Coronation, he’s not going to be hidden behind a pillar!”

Daily Mail Editor Richard Kay agreed, saying: “I think the seating is crucial, where he’s placed. They would be very churlish if they put him alongside Prince Andrew at the back. I think that would be a very bad look.”

The prince is expected to make his trip to the UK for the Coronation brief as the date also coincides with his son Prince Archie’s fourth birthday, thought to be the main factor behind Meghan’s decision to stay in California.

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The ceremony will also be the first time Harry has met with the royals since the Netflix documentary series Harry & Meghan was released last December, followed by the publication of his memoir Spare in January.

The rift between the Sussexes and the rest of the royals shows no signs of abating, although a source told The Sun Charles would be “happy” to see both his sons at his Coronation.

They told the publication: “The King is happy that Harry, his son, who he calls his ‘darling boy’ will be at the Abbey.

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Although the King has been understanding of Meghan’s choice, PR expert Edward Coram-James warned that the Duchess may regret her decision in the years to come.

He told Express.co.uk: “Meghan not attending risks making her popularity tank even more.

“It gives the optics of ingratitude and the dismissing of olive branches, and could be seen to be making their declared aims of reconciliation appear hollow.”

He added that there could be other reasons behind her snub that the public may not be aware of but said it would be a “huge mistake for her personal brand”.

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