Who is – and isn't – going to appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony after the coronation?
King Charles III's coronation is almost upon us and while we've been busy planning our bank holiday barbecue, the Royal Family have been prepping for the historic day, including rehearsing their important roles and sorting out their accommodation (Prince Harry, we're looking at you!).
But while we know some of what's been going on behind the scenes and what to expect on the day (such as the coronation guest list), other elements of the coronation have been kept secret, like who will – and will not – appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony after the service.
It's a question that royal fans have been speculating over for weeks, particularly since the Duke of Sussex confirmed his plans to attend the coronation, despite an ongoing rift between himself and the rest of the royals following the many bombshells dropped in his Netflix docu-series and subsequent memoir.
Whether or not Harry will appear on the balcony is unlikely to be a last minute decision, however. The Royal Family's appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony will no doubt end up being one of the most iconic images of the day and therefore, planned to perfection.
Over the years, the Buckingham Palace balcony moment has become a key way for the Royal Family to send a message, and recently fewer and fewer royals have appeared on it. Just take a look at the final moments from Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, for example – only Her Majesty and her closest relatives (Charles and Camilla and the Wales family) appeared on the balcony for a photo op.
So, who will appear on the balcony after the coronation?
On Saturday afternoon, after the coronation procession gets back from Westminster Abbey, King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla will make their first appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony as monarchs. So far, experts predict that only key, working royals – essentially, family members who carry out official duties on behalf of the King – will appear alongside the newly-crowned sovereigns.
If that's the case, the royals we can expect to see are: the Prince and Princess of Wales, Princess Anne and the recently-appointed Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh. Other working royals such as the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent are thought to be included in the balcony plans, too.
There's been no word as to whether the Wales children will appear on the balcony alongside their parents and grandparents, but given their popularity with fans, it seems unlikely that they won't. What's more, some experts suggest that the balcony moment will be used by Charles a chance to emphasise the line of succession, bringing together the heirs to the throne, which includes young George.
As for where all this leaves Prince Harry, it doesn't seem as though he'll join in on the balcony photo op. In fact, some experts have even predicted that he'll only attend the coronation service before heading back to the US to celebrate his son's birthday, which falls on the same day. Other experts have agreed that the Duke "won’t be anywhere near the balcony."
At least we haven't got long to wait until we find out...
Head here for everything you need to know about King Charles III's coronation.
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