Meghan Markle will celebrate HER Prince on Coronation Day

Meghan Markle will not attend the King’s Coronation service in London next month with Prince Harry – instead remaining in California with their children Archie and Lilibet.

Sharing the news in a statement today, Buckingham Palace said it was ‘pleased to confirm’ the Duke of Sussex, 38, will be at Westminster Abbey on May 6.

But the Duchess of Sussex, 41, will remain home at the couple’s residence in Montecito with one-year-old Lilibet and Archie, whose fourth birthday is on the same day as the ceremony.

The couple’s friend Omid Scobie confirmed Archie’s birthday ‘played a factor in the couple’s decision’ and he expected it would be a ‘fairly quick trip to the UK’ for Harry. The Duke will only attend the ceremony itself, which is likely to last a few hours.

It’s unclear how exactly Meghan plans to celebrate her son’s milestone. For his first birthday, she shared a sweet video in aid of a Save The Children fundraising campaign of a beaming Archie, while reading him children’s book Duck! Rabbit!. 

It’s unclear how exactly Meghan plans to celebrate her son’s milestone. For his first birthday, she shared a sweet video in aid of a Save The Children fundraising campaign of a beaming Archie, while reading him children’s book Duck! Rabbit! (pictured)

The mother-of-two apparently crafted a strawberry and cream smash cake while Prince Harry decorated their home with balloons to mark his first birthday, a source told People magazine at the time.

Sources told how the couple crafted a ‘really simple but incredibly joyous’ celebration for their son, with the trio taking time to video call his godparents and family.

The source explained: ‘Meghan made the cake — strawberries and cream. And Harry helped with decorations and blew up balloons.’

Meanwhile, Lilibet’s first birthday was celebrated at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor (the couple’s former UK home), with birthday cake, balloons, party games and picnic snacks. The family were in the UK for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Among the gifts were apparently a pastel pink VW Beetle ride-on car, £75 from Selfridges, while Sussex supporters donated $100,000 to charity in her honour. 

King Charles, then Prince of Wales in June 2022, may have bought her a swing similar to one he bought for Prince George – after an aide to the Sussexes was seen unloading it from their private jet in Santa Barbara.

East London baker Claire Ptak – who made the couple’s wedding cake in 2018 – created new treats for the low-key bash. She later shared a picture of a small peony-covered cake that could be the one enjoyed by guests.

A spokesman for the couple did not name family members who attended the party, but Zara and Mike Tindall are believed to have made an appearance at the time. But Prince William, Kate, George and Charlotte were in Wales representing the Queen.

The mother-of-two apparently crafted a strawberry and cream smash cake while Prince Harry decorated their home with balloons to mark his first birthday (pictured), a source told People magazine at the time

In this picture from Lilibet’s first birthday party, the young princess is seen in her mother Meghan’s arms beside photographer Misan Harriman’s family which includes his wife Camilla Holmstroem

Mr Scobie, who is a trusted contact of the Sussexes, tweeted the news of Harry’s forthcoming attendance at the Coronation and then added: ‘I understand that Archie’s fourth birthday (also on May 6) played a factor in the couple’s decision.

‘Expect it to be a fairly quick trip to the UK for Prince Harry, who will only be attending the coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey.’ 

Reacting to today’s announcement, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told MailOnline: ‘Meghan will be with Archie on his fourth birthday. This is probably an ideal compromise. 

‘For months I hoped for reconciliation but after Spare, the interviews promoting it and the Netflix docuseries, it is obvious that this is highly unlikely to happen and that the Sussexes’ rift with the Royal Family is very serious.’

The announcement comes just over three weeks until the event, and a royal observer told MailOnline: ‘Charles will be pleased. The rest of the family will be relieved that Meghan won’t be there – it would have been particularly uncomfortable for Kate.’

Harry and Meghan had controversially delayed their decision over whether they would fly in for the ceremony, despite the RSVP date of April 3 having passed.

The uncertainty over the Sussexes’ attendance was thought to have left royal officials unable to sign off arrangements for seating plans, transport and security. 

Harry, who laid bare his troubled relationship with the Royal Family in his Netflix documentary and autobiography Spare, will be there to witness his father Charles and stepmother the Queen Consort be crowned next month. 

The news ends months of speculation about whether the couple would show up to the King’s big day.

In June 2022, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex released a new picture of Lilibet at Frogmore Cottage where she celebrated her first birthday

Birthday cake? The Duke and Duchess of Sussex asked the baker who created their wedding cake to make a creation for their daughter Lilibet’s low-key first birthday party. Claire Ptak shared a photo of this beautiful pink cake topped with peonies, which could have been Lilibet’s

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said in a statement issued at 3pm today: ‘Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on 6th May. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.’ 

Archewell, Harry and Meghan’s charitable foundation, then issued a near identical statement to the Press Association news agency confirming the Duke will attend.

A spokesman said: ‘The Duke of Sussex will attend the coronation service at Westminster Abbey on May 6th. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.’

Charles will be crowned in a ceremony full of pomp, pageantry and traditions that date back 1,000 years, following the 70-year reign of his mother Queen Elizabeth II who died last September.