Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Mike Bedigan, PA & Josh Luckhurst

Prince Harry arrives back in US already just hours after King Charles' Coronation ends

The Duke of Sussex has returned to California after catching a British Airways flight within hours of King Charles’ Coronation.

Prince Harry arrived at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) at around 7.30pm local time (3.30am UK) to reunite with his son on his birthday.

Prince Archie turned four on Saturday and spent the day with his mother, the Duchess of Sussex, and sister Princess Lilibet at their US home in Montecito, California.

British Airways flight attendants confirmed that Harry had been on the flight but said they were not permitted to discuss the details of his trip, which took place just hours after watch his father and stepmother Queen Camilla be anointed at Westminster Abbey on Saturday.

Prince Harry has returned to Los Angeles just hours after attending King Charles' Coronation (Clint Brewer Photography / A.I.M / BACKGRID)

Harry's attendance at the ceremony marked his first public appearance alongside the royals since the release of his controversial memoir Spare.

He was seated in the third row, two rows behind his brother the Prince of Wales, the Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

The Duke was sat next to Princess Eugenie's husband Jack Brooksbank and Princess Alexandra - the cousin of the late Queen, who hasn’t had a working royal engagement in a decade.

Harry was not permitted to wear his military uniform or robes for the service (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Harry chatted to his cousin Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi as he entered the church in the drizzling UK rain. He also nodded and smiled to guests as he processed behind them, walking down the nave of the abbey alone.

During the service, as the congregation paid homage to the King, Harry was seen, along with the other royals around him, speaking the words: “God save King Charles. Long live King Charles. May the King live forever.”

Prince Harry was not permitted to where his military uniform or robes for the historic event.

The Duke of Sussex served in the Army for a decade and did two tours of Afghanistan but will not be allowed to adorn the military uniform because he is no longer a working Royal.

The same rules applied when Charles' youngest son and Prince Andrew wore morning suits for the Elizabeth II's funeral last September.

Harry arriving at Westminster Abbey for the crowning of King Charles and Queen Camilla (AP)

It is understood that he wore what was asked of him, which consisted of a dark morning suit and tie, his Afghanistan and Jubilee medals pinned to his suit jacket, and a Royal Victorian Order star and neck decoration.

His abrupt return to the US meant he did not appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony for the finale of the day, with Palace officials confirming earlier that he had no formal role at the event.

Also absent from the balcony was the Duke of York, who has stepped away from public life after a controversial Newsnight interview in November 2019 and the furore over his friendship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.