Coronation pact HARRY & MEGHAN SAVE FACE

Bowing to no one, the couple is spared embarrassment with their clever tactic

- Judy Kean

As decisions go, this one seems to be a sensible compromise. Prince Harry is going to the coronation of his father the King, while his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex is staying home to celebrate son Prince Archie’s fourth birthday.

Harry, 38, gets to be a tiny part of his dad’s big day, while Meghan, 40, avoids having to interact with the in-laws. It’s a win-win situation, surely.

Some royal commentators agree. “I’m glad Harry is coming to what is probably the most important day of his father’s life – it would have been churlish not to do so,” says former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond. “I think this was always the best compromise.”

However, reaching this decision hasn’t been easy, and at times it has been touch and go whether Harry would agree to put in a brief appearance (he’ll be at the actual coronation service at Westminster Abbey but won’t take part in the procession or appear on the balcony at Buckingham Palace afterwards).

According to some sources, Harry stalled over RSVPing to the invitation because he had issues over seating arrangements in the abbey. Harry was reportedly not happy about where he and Meghan sat last year at both the Thanksgiving Service that was part of the Queen’s platinum jubilee celebration in June and her funeral in September. Both times they were placed away from senior royals.