Prince Harry’s missing coronation medal has raised eyebrows this week after he paid a video tribute at a veterans’ awards show without the honor, which features a portrait of his father, King Charles III, and stepmother, Queen Camilla.
The development comes after Harry recently listed the U.S. as his permanent place of residence on legal documents, backdating this to the date he and wife, Meghan Markle, were evicted from their Frogmore Cottage home in the grounds of Windsor Castle.
Speaking on Friday, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told Newsweek: “Those eligible who were involved in the coronation were given a medal. The Sussexes do nothing by chance and this clearly emphasizes or is intended to emphasize his distance from the royal family.”
Previous media reports suggesting that Harry was given the medal after attending his father’s coronation last year have yet to be confirmed, as is any potential reason why he may have chosen not to wear it if he does have one in his possession.
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Newsweek approached representatives of Prince Harry and Buckingham Palace via email for comment.
Harry honored Sergeant First Class Elizabeth Marks at the Military Times Service Members of The Year awards on April 24, sending a video message congratulating her on receiving the Military Times Soldier of the Year Award.
The prince recorded his tribute at his California home, wearing a dark suit and tie, with four medals pinned to his chest. These were his Afghanistan operations medal, received for serving on active duty during the Afghanistan War, as well as his Queen Elizabeth II Golden, Diamond and Platinum Jubilee medals, received as a member of the royal family.
Conspicuously absent was the coronation medal of King Charles and Queen Camilla, which was struck in 2023 to mark their crowning ceremony at Westminster Abbey on May 6.
The medal was awarded to members of the armed forces, civil service, emergency and operational services who played a role in the planning or execution of the coronation ceremonial events. It is a commemorative honor rather than one awarded for meritorious service.
Past coronation medals, like jubilee medals, have been given by the monarch to members of their families and staff as a way of marking their milestones. King Charles is believed to have followed in this tradition, with members of the royal family including Prince William and the Duke of Edinburgh spotted at events wearing them.
This makes the medal’s absence in Harry’s lineup all the more notable.
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This is not the first time since the coronation that Harry’s absent medal has raised eyebrows. In November he recorded a video message for the 2023 “Stand Up for Heroes” benefit wearing just his Afghanistan and jubilee medals. At the time, social media fans linked the absence of Charles and Camilla’s honor to the state of relations between Harry and the royal family.
Harry’s presence at the coronation drew considerable attention as it came just four months after the publication of his bombshell memoir, Spare, in which he provided a critical assessment of his father, stepmother and older brother, while also listing grievances with members of the royal household.
The prince attended the ceremony alone, with Meghan and his two children remaining in California. He did not take part in the formal coronation portrait sitting after the event and was photographed arriving at a London airport shortly after the ceremony had finished to return home.
Harry last visited Britain in February in the days after King Charles announced he had been diagnosed with cancer. In an interview with Good Morning America shortly afterward, the prince stated his enduring affection for his family.
“I love my family,” he said. “The fact I was able to get on a plane and see him [Charles] and spend any time with him…I’m grateful for that”
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek‘s royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek‘s The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan Markle and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.