Meghan Markle made 'wise choice' not to attend King Charles III's coronation

Meghan Markle made the smart decision not to join Prince Harry at King Charles III's coronation on May 6 because her presence could allegedly only overshadow the ceremony.

Royal experts Christopher Andersen and Jonathan Sacerdoti discussed the Duchess of Sussex's decision to remain in California during the momentous occasion in an interview with Fox News Digital. Andersen wondered how she feels about her husband going alone and pointed out the likely reception the duke will get from the public.

He said it will definitely be a "very uncomfortable, highly awkward situation" for Prince Harry. He will be "cheered, but he will also probably be booed, and he is also likely to feel sidelined and marginalised."

Andersen, author of "The King," continued, "Does she fully support Harry's decision to go solo, or did she beg him to stay behind with her and the children in Montecito? Was this a bone of contention between them? If this was a decision made jointly, then it shows a level of maturity and unity in the marriage that is to be admired."

He added, "However if Meghan is only reluctantly supporting Harry's decision or opposes it, you can only imagine what a strain that might put on their marriage going forward. My guess is that they both understand this is a do-or-die moment in their relationship with the royal family. I don't think Charles or [Prince] William would ever forgive Harry if he didn't show."

Nonetheless, Andersen said that Prince Harry made the right decision to go to King Charles III's coronation and believes the monarch "is breathing a sigh of relief." Meanwhile, Sacerdoti said Meghan Markle made the smart move not to be at the ceremony because her appearance could only steal the spotlight from His Majesty and this would only deepen her rift with the royals.

He said the coronation is not about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and "their ongoing family psychodrama" but it is about the new King and Queen. He added, "It is probably a wise choice for Meghan not to attend after the many allegations and breaches of confidence that have been made in the Netflix show, various interviews, and in Harry's book."

Sacerdoti pointed out that Meghan Markle "doesn't need to be there at all, especially given her declared desire not to be in the spotlight as a working member of the royal family but to do things on her terms." He acknowledged though that there would be "few in the U.K. who will miss her being there."

As for Prince Harry, he believes that the 38-year-old will not stick around after the ceremony. He will jet back to California right away so he can still make it to the last few hours of his son, Prince Archie's fourth birthday, which also falls on May 6.

"We'll have to wait and see. If the couple decides to celebrate their son's fourth birthday over several days they may yet manage to steal some attention away from King Charles and Britain's important day," Sacerdoti said.

"Finding Freedom" co-author Omid Scobie likewise said that Prince Archie's birthday "played a factor" in the duchess' decision not to attend the coronation and said it would be "a fairly quick trip to the U.K." for the duke who will only be there for the ceremony at Westminster Abbey.

Buckingham Palace and a spokesperson for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle confirmed in a statement that the duchess will stay behind in California with their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The last time the couple was in the U.K. together was in September 2022, when they made some charity visits and also attended funeral events for Queen Elizabeth II until Sept. 19. Meanwhile, the duke paid a surprise visit to London in March to attend the preliminary hearing of his privacy suit against Associated Newspapers Limited.