Prince Harry faces a fresh public rebuke as a Daily Express poll concludes that Britons 'vote against his attendance' at his cousin Peter Phillips' wedding in Gloucestershire next week.
The 48-year-old Duke of Sussex, married to Meghan Markle, has reportedly not been invited to the June 6 ceremony at All Saints Church, where Peter weds NHS nurse Harriet Sperling.
The Daily Express poll concluded Tuesday, with 3,108 of 3,280 respondents saying Harry should not travel to the UK for the event. This comes after months of speculation about whether the Sussexes would be welcomed back into the fold for family milestones.
Peter Phillips, the Queen's eldest granddaughter Princess Anne's son, is tying the knot for the second time; his divorce from Autumn Kelly was finalised in 2021. King Charles III, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and other senior royals are expected to attend, but Harry and Meghan will be nowhere in sight.
Public Sentiment Against UK Return
The poll, running from 7am on 22 May until 5.30pm on 26 May, returned a stark verdict: just 138 people voted yes to Harry attending, while 34 remained unsure. One reader wrote plainly: 'A hard NO. All the attention would be on Harry rather than the bride and groom. It's their day and everyone should have their eyes on them!' Another chimed in with a curt 'My answer to that is NO!', while a third insisted Harry and Meghan 'do 'NOT' deserve to attend any function the RF is attending.'
That last remark taps into a persistent undercurrent: some royal fans still view the couple's 2020 step back from senior duties as a betrayal. Harry has not conducted official royal work in the UK since leaving, and relations with certain family members have cooled noticeably. The poll numbers suggest that sentiment hasn't faded.
Family Ties Fractured As Wedding List Takes Shape
A source close to the couple told Hello! magazine that Peter and Harriet want an intimate affair surrounded by close friends and immediate family in the Cotswolds, an area 'where they grew up and is very special to them both.' Another insider added a clearer explanation: 'Peter and Harry haven't spoken for several years and have simply lost touch, so he hasn't been invited.'
The guest list also excludes Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew, further underscoring how tightly the circle has been drawn. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, as he is now formally known, remains sidelined following the fallout from his association with Jeffrey Epstein and subsequent removal from royal duties. Ferguson's absence signals that this is not a full reconciliation gathering but a private family celebration.
Harry's absence from such events has become increasingly common. He attended Princess Eugene's wedding in 2018 but skipped several other high-profile occasions in recent years, including the 2022 state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II's consort, Prince Philip, and the 2023 coronation of King Charles. Each missed appearance has fed speculation about deeper rifts.
The timing is delicate. Harry is promoting new projects in the US and remains based in California with Meghan and their two children. A return to the UK for a public appearance would almost certainly trigger a media frenzy, potentially upstaging the bride and groom. That risk alone may have deterred an invitation, regardless of personal feelings.
There is no official statement from Buckingham Palace or the Sussexes confirming whether Harry was invited or why he will not attend. What is clear, however, is that public opinion in Britain has hardened. The poll may not be scientifically rigorous, but it reflects a visible mood: many royal supporters do not want Harry's presence to dominate a day that should belong to Peter and Harriet.
The wedding itself promises to be a low-key affair in the Cotswolds, far from the flashbulbs of Westminster. Harriet, an NHS nurse, represents a grounded, public-service counterpart to the glamour often associated with royal nuptials. Peter, who left the army in 2011 and now works in business, has long preferred privacy over pageantry.
If Harry and Meghan wished to send a gesture of goodwill, they could do so privately. A public appearance, though, would almost certainly reignite old debates and overshadow the couple. For now, the door appears closed, and the British public, by an overwhelming margin, seems content to keep it that way.
