Prince Harryjoined in showing respect to the newly crownedKing Charleswith a bow on coronation day.
Other members of the royal family sitting around Prince Harry — including Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh as well as Princess Anne — were also seen bowing or curtsying as King Charles processed.Kate Middletonwas also spottedcurtsying to her father-in-lawon the big day.
Just as public citizens do whenmeeting a royal, it’s common to see members of the familybowing or curtsyingwhile greeting each other. AfterQueen Elizabeth’s death in September, her eldest son immediately acceded to the throne asHis Majesty King Charlesalongside his wife, Her MajestyQueen Camilla). All members of the royal family, including those with His/Her Royal Highness (HRH) titles, bow or curtsy to the monarch and his wife when greeting them for the first time in a while — even his children.
Prince William, who became the Prince of Wales as heir to the throne, has been spotting bowing his head to greet his father and stepmother. Likewise, King Charles' daughter-in-law the Princess of Wales dips into a curtsy to greet the monarch,as seen at her Christmas carol concertin December.
The formal greeting to a family membercame as a surprisetoMeghan Marklewhen she started dating Prince Harry. Recalling meeting Queen Elizabeth for the first time during their Netflix showHarry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex explained, “I remember we were in the car and we were driving up and he’s like, ‘You know how to curtsy, right?’ And I just thought it was a joke.”
“How do you explain that to people? How do you explain that you bow to your grandmother and that you would need to curtsy? Especially to an American. That’s weird,” Harry said on the series.
Samir Hussein/WireImage
Prince Harry, 38, smiled as he arrived at Westminster Abbey for the crowning ceremony with cousinsPrincess EugenieandPrincess Beatricealong with their husbands. He wasnever seen interactingwith his father or brotherPrince William, who had a key role in the service and took part in the processions with his wife and children.
WhilePrince Harrykept a low profile at the coronation andheaded to the airportquickly after the service, one fellow guest says what matters is that he was there.
“I am delighted thatPrince Harrywas there,” says Colleen Harris, a former press secretary to the King and his sons, in this week’sPEOPLE cover story. “He would have personally regretted itif he wasn’t there to support his father. Speaking as a mother, [I believe] it was the right thing . . . and the King [was] delighted.”
King Charles and Prince Harry.DAVID ROSE/POOL/AFP via Getty
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Buckingham Palaceannounced in AprilthatPrince Harrywould attend his father’s coronation solo.
Meghan, 41, stayed in California, where the couple relocated in 2020 after stepping back as working members of the royal family, with their two children, 23-month-old daughterPrincess Lilibetand sonPrince Archie, who celebrated his fourth birthday on the day of the crowning.
A source close to the royal householdtold PEOPLEahead of the coronation of Harry’s decision to attend the historic event, “He will look back on it and think it is better to come and play his part and say, ‘I saw my father crowned.’ And tell his children about it.”
source: people.com
