Prince Harry May Not Be Only Awkward Subject at King's Coronation

When King Charles III is finally crowned at his coronation next month, there may be several sideshows taking place in the background.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will almost certainly be a talking point whether they choose to take up their invitation or not. However, Prince Andrew is also expected to be among guests at Westminster Abbey on May 6—though without an official role in the ceremony.

British newspapers like the Daily Mirror have already been discussing the prospect that Andrew could be banned from wearing the ceremonial robes that come with his status as a Knight of the Order of the Garter.

However, there appears to be a consensus that the Duke of York, disgraced by his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, will be there. Andrew was stripped of his military titles last year amid a lawsuit from Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexually abusing her in 2001. Andrew denies the allegations and settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.

Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, author of This Is Why I Resist and a longstanding critic of Andrew, told Newsweek: "I'm not surprised that Prince Andrew will be at his brother's coronation. He's still a prince of the realm and he's still the Duke of York. He still has [the] title and he still has the benefits that come with being a member of the royal family. It's his brother and he's a duke."

"I think people will maybe make a noise about it," she added, "but it very much depends on whether he is simply attending or whether he has a specific function. I think if he's simply attending, I don't see how he can't attend. He attended his father's funeral, he attended his mother's funeral, I would expect him to be there for any other family function which this coronation would be."

Nigel Cawthorne, author of Prince Andrew, Maxwell and the Palace, pointed to the the role Andrew played during events mourning Queen Elizabeth II, including the Vigil of the Princes, in which he stood guard as his mother lay in state at Westminster Hall days before her funeral.

"I think there'll be a lot of pressure to be there in some kind of minor role," Cawthorne told Newsweek. "[Andrew] did attend the Vigil of the Princes and marched around behind his mother's coffin so he has been out in public without anyone throwing eggs at him, so it'll be mentioned in Britain. But the actual crowning will be the thing and that's what the cameras will be on."

However, Cawthorne said Andrew would not be allowed on the Buckingham Palace balcony, an honor he felt would be reserved for Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Kate Middleton.

"Charles' whole thing was going back to George VI when there was just the four of them on the balcony," he said. "In this case, Charles, Camilla, William and Kate and probably not Harry and Meghan either. So they won't be there."

George VI appeared on the balcony alongside his wife, Queen Elizabeth, and daughters, the future Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret.

Meanwhile, British journalist Petronella Wyatt, a friend of the Queen Consort, recently urged Prince Andrew not to write a tell-all memoir like Prince Harry's following rumors in the press he was considering a book.

"It's the worst idea since the Titanic frankly," She told Good Morning Britain. "He wants to sort of clear his name and he wants everybody to love him but the more he tries to clear his name the worse he looks. And I can't see him writing a literary classic or a cozy, charming little book about 'my darling mother the late Queen and why I was the favorite.'"

Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.

Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.