HARRY'S 28-HOUR VISIT TO THE UK: THE DUKE OF SUSSEX WHIRLWIND TRIP FOR CORONATION AS SON ARCHIE TURNS FOUR

As flying visits go, the Duke of Sussex’s whirlwind stopover for the coronation of his father must have been one of the briefest royal round-trips in history

- SALLY MORGAN

In a journey that spanned two continents, crossed numerous time zones and covered more than 5,000 miles each way, Prince Harry’s whistle-stop stay was planned so that he could return home in time to celebrate another special occasion: his son Prince Archie’s fourth birthday, which fell on 6 May, the same day His Majesty was crowned.

His wife the Duchess stayed behind with Archie and 23-month-old Princess Lilibet, so Harry’s solo trip began when he waved his family goodbye at their Montecito mansion on Thursday afternoon.

MAD DASH 

He was driven 100 miles to LAX airport in Los Angeles by his private security team, before taking a 12-hour overnight commercial flight on American Airlines to London’s Heathrow airport, landing at around 11.20am on Friday.

After setting foot on British soil, the Duke was assigned a Scotland Yard protection squad who escorted him to his accommodation. Harry is believed to have stayed at Frogmore Cottage, the Windsor residence where he and Meghan lived before moving to California.

At 9.30am on 6 May, a black BMW arrived to drive him to Westminster Abbey. Looking dapper in bespoke black morning dress teamed with a pearl-grey tie – designed by Dior’s artistic director Kim Jones – he arrived at the abbey at 10.38am, some ten minutes before the King and Queen.