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KEY POINTS

  • Prince Harry wasn't "comfortable in his skin" during Queen Elizabeth's funeral last year, Tessa Dunlop claims
  • The historian suggested that the coronation could be difficult for Prince Harry because he's attending solo
  • The royal expert claimed that Prince Harry leans on his wife Meghan Markle very heavily

Prince Harry may have a hard time when he reunites with the royal family at King Charles III's coronation next month, according to a royal expert.

The Duke of Sussex will attend his father's May 6 coronation in London sans his wife, Meghan Markle. Historian, writer and broadcaster Dr. Tessa Dunlop predicted that the ceremony could be difficult for Prince Harry to handle without his wife's support.

"I think it's going to be a bit of a nightmare for him," Dunlop told Us Weekly Tuesday while promoting her new book "Elizabeth & Philip: A Story of Young Love, Marriage and Monarchy," which was released earlier this month.

The historian noted that the 38-year-old prince seemed stressed during his last public reunion with the royal family at his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II's funeral last year.

"I was watching the body language when he came out of St. George's Chapel when [Queen Elizabeth II] had finally been laid to rest [in September 2022] on the last day of the funeral itself. He was helping Meghan into the car and he just wasn't a man who was comfortable in his skin," the expert explained. "And this time he's coming over without the support of Megnan."

Dunlop speculated that the BetterUp CIO may be affected by Markle's absence, noting that he often relies on her during their joint engagements.

"Clearly he does lean on her very heavily. I think clearly, they bonded. They both had painful childhoods [and] took solace in each other's respective narratives. And he's coming alone," Dunlop continued. "That means he's exposed effectively. He will be made to sit [farther from the royals] at best. So, he will have that feeling of demotion."

Dunlop claimed that the royals were concerned about providing security for Markle before the news of her skipping the coronation broke. The former "Suits" star and her husband lost access to their security detail after stepping back from royal duties in 2020.

The expert claimed that the royals can't control how the public would have responded to Markle, which would paint Britain in "a very bad light." Potential protection for Markle could "cost a fortune," according to Dunlop.

Buckingham Palace confirmed on April 12 that the Duke of Sussex will attend King Charles' coronation. However, his wife and their two children — son Archie, 3, and daughter Lilibet, 1 — will remain in California.

There are various speculations about Markle's decision to not join Prince Harry at the historic event.

Royal correspondent and "Finding Freedom" co-author Omid Scobie tweeted that Prince Archie's birthday, which falls on the same day as the coronation, "played a factor in the couple's decision."

But GB News host Dan Wootton suggested that Markle chose not to attend because she believed she would be booed by the public.

Meanwhile, Daily Mail Diary editor and broadcaster Richard Eden speculated on "Palace Confidential" that the reason Markle won't come to the coronation was that the Sussexes didn't get the apology they demanded from the royal family.

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