Prince Harry’s relationship with the royal family—particularly with King Charles and Prince William—had long been fraught with tension by the time he returned to the UK for the King’s coronation on May 6, 2023.

The visit, which coincided with his son Prince Archie’s fourth birthday, was brief, and since then, questions have circulated about whether Harry will be invited to William’s future coronation.

The Duke of Sussex’s May 2 interview with the BBC seems to have further strained family ties. Sources told Page Six that it may have marked a turning point in the rift, especially with William, making reconciliation unlikely.

Royal biographer Hugo Vickers, a friend of the royal family, told Page Six that while William could invite Harry to his coronation, it’s entirely up to him. “Theoretically, he should,” Vickers said. “But quite frankly, he can do what he likes. It is not set in stone.”

Historical precedent supports the possibility of exclusion. When King Edward VIII—later the Duke of Windsor—abdicated in 1936 to marry Wallis Simpson, he was not invited to Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953.

Vickers noted that there had been “a lot of discussion” about whether Edward should attend. Ultimately, Queen Elizabeth told the Archbishop of Canterbury that her uncle’s presence would be “wholly and entirely undesirable,” as reported by The Standard. Edward had also written to Prime Minister Winston Churchill asking about an invitation, but Churchill responded firmly that it would be “quite inappropriate.”