Rishi Sunak risks being drawn into the row over Harry’s coronation as insiders say he must decide

The prime minister could be drawn into the growing debate over whether Prince Harry should be invited to the coronation ceremony, after senior royal insiders argued the decision should be ‘taken out of the monarch’s hands’.

Sources say King Charles should use the so-called “Churchill precedent” to escape the “impossible” decision of stoking tensions by banning his son, or enduring the circus that surrounds his presence with his wife, Meghan.

Harry has so far refused to say whether or not he would come to the ceremony if he were invited, even when asked directly.

In 1953, Churchill, then prime minister, made it clear to the Duke of Windsor—who had abdicated as Edward VIII more than 16 years earlier—that he would not be welcome at Queen Elizabeth’s coronation.

A source familiar with the matter told The Mail on Sunday: ‘The coronation is a state-funded private event. So, in the same way that Winston Churchill advised the Duke of Windsor to stay away [from Elizabeth II’s Coronation]However, the decision to invite Harry, who has neither an official royal role nor a government function at the ceremony, rests with the government and not just his father.

However, British government insiders have tried to hand responsibility for “Hot Potato Harry” to Buckingham Palace.

A source said last night: “Traditionally, the royal family would provide us with the number of royal guests, anonymously, and we base the arrangements on that.”

This newspaper understands that the Cabinet Office is setting up a “coronation committee” of civil servants, royal officials and representatives of the Church of England to plan the May 6 event.

The Ministry of the Interior will be heavily involved in the arrangements. If Harry did attend, there would be additional security concerns given his revelation that he killed 25 Taliban fighters while serving in Afghanistan.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the arrangements last night, but a palace insider said the monarch was “furious” about allegations aired in Harry’s memoirs, Spear, including his attack on The Queen’s Queen.

Harry called Camilla “dangerous” and ratcheted up the rhetoric in an interview with US journalist Anderson Cooper last week.

She was the villain, he said, she was a third person in the marriage, she needed to rehabilitate her image. There were people or dead bodies being left in the street because of this.

Harry also accused his brother William of physically assaulting him and claimed the palace had planted negative stories about Meghan in the media.

When asked by ITV’s Tom Bradby why he made his private grievances public, Harry said that keeping silent “only allows the abuser to offend”.

Despite his attack, Harry calls for a reconciliation with his family, albeit on his terms and with them an apology for their behaviour.

So far, the Palace has maintained a respectful silence on the allegations, with a distinguished insider telling The Mail on Sunday that they take a ‘mild, quick fix’ approach.

But some believe the divisions will only heal through another face-to-face summit.

A source told The Sunday Times today: ‘He needs Harry here, in the room with the King and Prince of Wales, and a couple of other family members, and he trusts some of his ‘people’, who have always had his back, so he doesn’t. “I don’t think he’s being ambushed.”

But, as this newspaper revealed last week, previous summits have resulted in insults being exchanged and Harry claiming his brother “rushed” at him.

Harry will have no official reason to attend the Westminster Abbey coronation, which marks the fourth birth anniversary of his son Archie.

Unlike previous ceremonies, the Duchess Royal will not “honor” the new monarch – although the Prince of Wales is expected to do so.

Hugo Vickers, royal historian and constitutional expert, said: ‘I fear Harry would be too much of a distraction from the main work at hand if he attended the coronation. where is he sitting How does he act? and so on.

It is not a trivial matter. No other crowned heads are invited to coronations precisely because they might distract attention from the monarch. It would be better if Harry stayed away. There is also the issue of security. Intentionally or not, the prince has been seen mocking the Taliban.

“I think the government should think carefully before involving him.”