Prince Harry and Meghan Markle "risk drawing out the conflict" with the Royal Family if they decide not to attend the King's Coronation, a PR expert has warned.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are yet to announce their plans for May 6, however, it has been confirmed the couple have been invited to the celebrations inside Westminster Abbey.
PR expert Edward Coram-James has said a no-show from the couple would hold negative consequences for the Royal Family and be an "irreversible blow" to public perception of The Firm.
"A no show would be the fatal, irreversible blow, both in the Public perception as well, potentially, as within the family itself. It risks drawing out the conflict over the long term," he said.
Edward, Go Up 's Chief Executive, suggested the Sussexes not attending would draw much more media attention than if they go to the Coronation.
"It would give further oxygen to the rift and allegations that the Sussexes have levelled at the Royal Family."
He added that the couple's Netflix series and Harry's memoir could be at risk of being "topical again" with the couple's potential absence after they started "disappearing into the rearview mirror".
"The shadow of their absence would loom large over the entire ceremony, risking becoming the elephant in the room and an unwanted side show," he told the Express.
From being kicked out of Frogmore Cottage to the allegations made in Spare, relations between the Sussexes and the rest of the Royal Family are at an all-time low.
Earlier this month insiders told the Mirror that Harry and Meghan were yet to make a decision about whether to attend the celebrations, which awkwardly falls on their son Archie's fourth birthday.
The couple have since confirmed they have been officially invited, with their spokesman saying: "I can confirm The Duke has recently received email correspondence from His Majesty's office regarding the coronation.
"An immediate decision on whether The Duke and Duchess will attend will not be disclosed by us at this time."
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