Meghan Markle to Spend Coronation Weekend Celebrating Prince Archie's Birthday in California
Prince Harry will attend the coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla in London on May 6, which coincides with Prince Archie's fourth birthday
Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet will not be in the U.K. for their grandfather King Charles' coronation.
Buckingham Palace confirmed on Wednesday that Prince Harry will attend his father's crowning ceremony on May 6, but the statement added that Meghan Markle, 41, will remain in California with their son and daughter. The coronation falls on Prince Archie's 4th birthday, and PEOPLE understands that the Duchess of Sussex will spend the weekend celebrating with him and his sister, 22-month-old Princess Lilibet.
Prince Harry, 38, wanted to be at the service to support his father at this important moment in his life, a friend tells PEOPLE.
Archie and Lili were last in the U.K. during Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022. The significant trip was Princess Lili's first visit to the U.K., as Meghan and Harry's daughter was born in California on June 4, 2021, and had yet to visit her dad's homeland. Archie was born in the U.K. on May 6, 2019, but hadn't been back since late 2019.
At the time, a royal source told PEOPLE it was a "fantastic visit." The trip allowed Lili to meet her grandfather, who was then known as Prince Charles, and her great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, for the first time. Prince Harry and Meghan named their daughter in the Queen's honor, as Lilibet was her childhood nickname.
"It was a fantastic visit. The prince was delighted to see his grandson and meet his granddaughter for the first time," the source said, adding that it was "very emotional" and a "wonderful thing" for Charles to meet Lili.
Related:Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet's Titles Updated on Royal Family's Website
During the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's time in the U.K. in June, they held a small birthday party for Lili, who turned 1 during the trip. The couple, who relocated to Meghan's home state of California after stepping back from their royal roles in 2020, invited close friends and family to gather for a "casual, intimate backyard picnic" at their Frogmore Cottage home, a spokesperson said.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also released a new photo of their daughter in honor of her milestone birthday, revealing her red hair — which she inherited from dad Harry!
Fans got another glimpse of the festivities in the Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan, which hit queues in December 2022. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex shared intimate family photos throughout the six-episode series, including from Lili's birthday party.
Prince Harry and Meghan were most recently with the rest of the royal family in the U.K. at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth in September. Harry also made a surprise visit to the U.K. last month, attending London's High Court for a legal case in which he and other prominent figures including Elton John and Elizabeth Hurley are suing Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL), publisher of the Daily Mail, for illegal information gathering.
Related:King Charles III's Coronation: Everything to Know About the Ceremony and Celebration
The coronation update comes after it was revealed that Princess Lilibet was recently christened in California. The statement was significant, as it marked the first time that Prince Harry and Meghan referred to their children's royal titles.
While confirming the news of the christening, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex told PEOPLE on March 8: "I can confirm that Princess Lilibet was christened on Friday, March 3 by the bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, the Rev John Taylor."
Upon the death of Queen Elizabeth in September, Harry's father became King Charles — and as grandchildren of the monarch, Archie and Lili were afforded the titles of prince and princess. PEOPLE understands that the titles will be used in formal settings and not in everyday use.
"The children's titles have been a birthright since their grandfather became monarch," a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex told PEOPLE. "This matter has been settled for some time in alignment with Buckingham Palace."
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On March 1, PEOPLE confirmed that King Charles decided to evict Harry and Meghan from Frogmore Cottage, their home base in the U.K.
"We can confirm The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been requested to vacate their residence at Frogmore Cottage," a spokesperson for the couple's Archewell Foundation said.
The statement followed a report by The Sun that King Charles plans to move his brother Prince Andrew to the Windsor residence. The second son of Queen Elizabeth, who stepped back from public duties over his ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, currently resides at the much larger Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park.
A source tells PEOPLE in this week's issue that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are "matter-of-fact" about being requested to leave Frogmore Cottage and aren't trying to overturn the decision.
The source adds that Harry and Meghan are happy to raise their two children in California, but noted that the eviction decision was "unfortunate" — especially in terms of security. Frogmore Cottage in Windsor had been a haven for the pair and their children when they visited the U.K.
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