Prince Andrew and Prince Harry to have no formal role at King’s coronation

Both royals have stepped back from official duties in recent years

The Duke of Sussex and Duke of York will not have any formal role at the coronation, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.

Harry and Andrew, who are no longer working royals, will attend the service today (6 May) but will not perform any formal duties.

They will also be absent from the procession behind the Golden State Coach carrying the newly crowned King and Queen from Westminster Abbey back to Buckingham Palace after the ceremony.

Prince Harry will be seeing his father, brother and relatives for the first time since he published his tell-all memoir Spare, in which he made several claims criticising members of his family.

In the book, Harry alleged that his brother William physically attacked him and went into detail about the breakdown of his relationship with senior members of the royal family. Read the most explosive claims made in the memoir here.

The royal stepped back from duties in 2020 and moved to Montecito, California with his wife Meghan.

The Duke of Sussex will be in attendance without Meghan, who has stayed in California with their children Prince Archie, who is celebrating his fourth birthday today, and Princess Lilbet, one.

Prince Andrew, who is the brother of King Charles, stepped down from royal duties in 2019 over his links to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. In January 2022, he was stripped of his HRH title after he was accused of sexual assault by Virginia Giuffre, a victim of Epstein’s. He has vehemently and continuously denied these claims.

In February 2022, Andrew reached a multi-million pound out of court settlement with Giuffre, which included damages and a donation to her charity “in support of victims’ rights”.

In a statement confirming the settlement, Andrew said he “regrets his association with Epstein and commends the bravery of Ms Giuffre and other survivors in standing up for themselves and others”.

The coronation will mark the first time both Harry and Andrew make an official public appearance since the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September.

Follow the latest coronation updates here.

Additional reporting by Press Association.