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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Kyle O'Sullivan

Four frosty ways Prince Harry and Andrew will stand out from other royals at Coronation

Prince Harry and Prince Andrew stood out from the rest of the Royal Family at the late Queen Elizabeth's funeral - and the same thing will happen if they attend King Charles' Coronation.

While the Duke of York is expected to attend, it's not yet known whether Harry and wife Meghan Markle will be part of the congregation at Westminster Abbey on May 6.

Both Andrew and Harry are no longer working royals - but they lost their royal duties and military titles in very different scenarios.

Disgraced Andrew paid £12million in an out of court settlement to his accuser, Virginia Giuffre, who alleges he forced her to have sex with him on three occasions in 2001 when she was 17-years-old. Andrew denies any wrongdoing.

While Harry famously stepped down along with Meghan when they decided to start a new life in North America with their children.

If they do attend the Coronation, Harry and Andrew will have to wear different clothes, have separate roles and won't be allowed on that famous Buckingham Palace balcony.

Ceremonial robes

Prince Andrew and Prince Harry won't get to wear military uniform (Chris Jackson/WPA Pool/Getty Images))

The King's Coronation will be a designated 'Collar Day' - meaning the senior royals will be in all their finery.

Members of the Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry in Britain, may wear the regalia and collar that signifies the British orders of knighthood they belong to.

However, both Andrew and Harry face being banned from wearing ceremonial robes and ordered to wear lounge suits, just like they did for the late Queen's funeral last year.

King Charles is torn over whether to allow his disgraced brother to don the theatrical regalia after Andrew was forced to step back from royal duties following the sex abuse scandal.

The Duke of York is said to be furious after being kept in the dark over a decision on whether he can dress in the grand velvet robes and glistening insignia denoting his position as a Knight of the Garter.

One source said the Duke of York had been "left completely in the dark" over his role and required dress for the coronation, despite other attendees being notified ahead of time.

The royal insider added: "Andrew is furious. He's already not playing a part and now he feels he is being disrespected and dictated to over something he is fully entitled to (wear)."

Disgraced Andrew was subsequently blocked from appearing alongside the late Queen in her final appearance at the traditional Garter Day procession in Windsor.

The King and Prince William reacted with fury after discovering that the Duke was set to appear in his full outfit for the public procession last June and lobbied Her Majesty to overturn the decision.

He was stripped of his military appointment Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, although he remains a Vice Admiral because of his service in the Royal Navy.

Harry and Andrew wore morning suits at the late Queen's funeral (Getty Images)

It's a similar situation for Harry, who reportedly won't be allowed to wear robes or a coronet, which is a small crown consisting of ornaments fixed on a metal ring.

Royal historian and expert Dr Tessa Dunlop told the Mirror: "In our changed times with a father-King who wants both his sons by his side, expect to see Harry there but minus a coronet and robe.

"Likewise if Meghan attends, any Coronation finery will be entirely her own. Expect very few to stand on ceremony for the Duchess of Sussex."

They will be in very different attire to the Prince and Princess of Wales, who are the future King and Queen, and the other working royals.

"In contrast history suggests working royals will stand out," explained Tessa.

"In 1953 the Queen's sister Princess Margaret had her own coronation gown designed by Norman Hartnell, embroidered with roses and daisies and offset with a stunning Cartier tiara.

"She travelled to the Abbey with the Queen Mother and they sat in a box overlooking proceedings with a four-year-old Prince Charles squashed between them.

"A similar scenario for the Princess of Wales and her three children is likely – William and his offspring are next in line to the throne and coronations deliberately emphasise the order of precedence and succession.

"Like it or not this state occasion is all about royal hierarchy. Visual messaging through both costume and carriage will remind us who the future King and Queen are (whether the Sussexes like it or not!)"

Coronation role

Andrew and Harry will likely not be part of the ceremony (Getty Images)

Buckingham Palace has said the carriage procession after the Coronation will be significantly smaller, and shorter, than the procession after Queen Elizabeth's coronation.

According to the rehearsal plans, as expected, neither the Duke and Duchess of Sussex nor the Duke of York will take part in the procession, as they are not working members of the royal family.

The same applies for Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, but other members of the family such as the new Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh will be involved.

Prince William, as heir to the throne, will reportedly pay homage to his father the King during the ceremony.

The Prince of Wales will kneel and pledge allegiance to Charles as well as touching the crown and kissing the monarch's right cheek, but Harry will not follow.

"With the exception of Prince William, at this Coronation peers of the realm will not be paying homage to the new King so it is unlikely that Harry will have to go down on bended knee," says author and historian Tessa Dunlop.

As it stands, there is no role for Harry in the service at all.

The brothers attend the Order of the Garter Service in 2015 (Getty Images)

While the disgraced Duke of York is still a Knight of the Garter, which traditionally has performed significant roles during Coronation ceremonies.

When his mum was crowned in 1953, four Knights of the Garter were chosen to support her majesty by standing at the four corners of the Coronation Chair during the anointing.

The four who are expected to do the job on Charles' big day have not been announced yet.

However, Prince Andrew was not present during the Garter Day procession last June and it was reported that William warned he would pull out of today's ceremony if his disgraced uncle was allowed to take part.

reportedly not going to have a ceremonial role at King Charle's coronation because he's not a working member of the royal family.

It is unclear if the Duke of York will have a role, if any, at the coronation after his brother removed his office from Buckingham Palace in December.

King Charles is said to feel it would be inappropriate in an official position, the Mail on Sunday reported.

Balcony ban

Andrew and the Sussexes reportedly won't be on the balcony this time (Getty Images)

One of the most momentous moment of any royal occasion is when the family emerges on the famous Buckingham Palace balcony.

They are very coveted spots - and with Charles' desire to have a 'slimmed-down' monarchy it seems those lucky enough to get up there will have a lot of room.

Harry, Meghan and their children were not present on the balcony for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations last summer, but the Prince and Princess of Wales and their kids were.

A source claims the Sussexes are asking Palace aides to include them on the balcony with the rest of the Royal Family once the King has been crowned to wave to the crowds.

The insider said: "Once the King has been crowned, there will be a Coronation procession that will start at Westminster Abbey and end at Buckingham Palace. Once the procession reaches the Palace, the King will take to the balcony and wave at the crowds with the rest of the royal family members and their children.

"This is where Harry and Meghan have requested inclusion."

But it seems they won't be on the balcony along with other non-working royals, such as Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and the disgraced Andrew.

Sources told the The Mail that Andrew couldn't play such a symbolic role or stand on the balcony at Buckingham Palace with other members of the family during the Coronation celebrations.

The King's siblings, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie Wessex, do look set to make the cut.

Seating plan

It's unlikely they will get a front row seat (Getty Images)

While Andrew and Harry have both been invited to the Coronation, it may turn out that they could have got a better view watching it on TV.

It's been reported that many members of the Firm are privately telling friends they will give the Harry and Meghan the "cold shoulder".

And some are hoping they will have to sit far away from the rest of the Royal Family so they don't have to socialise.

A source, described as friend of the family by the Mail, told the paper: "They will be given the cold shoulder by very many relatives. One said to me, 'I hope they'll be seated in Iceland.'

"Many of the family just want nothing more to do with them. If they have to see them at the Coronation then so be it, but they do not want to socialise with them."

At the late Queen's funeral, Harry and Meghan sat directly behind Charles and Camilla, in the second row next to Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.

As for Andrew, he did get a front row seat at the Queen's funeral along with his siblings, but times have changed and it's unlikely Charles will want his brother getting any attention.

Do you think Harry and Meghan should appear on the balcony at the Coronation? Vote in our poll HERE to have your say.

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