'It's become so personal': Friend reveals reasoning behind Harry and Meghan's coronation choice

The decision by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to take a half-in, half-out approach to the coronation of King Charles III was done with both their interests at heart, a friend claims.

Prince Harry will travel to London without his wife and children for the May 6 ceremony, with Meghan to remain in California.

The duke had been pushing for a reconciliation meeting with his family before the coronation, but that is not believed to have happened.

READ MORE: Prince Harry to skip coronation concert but Fergie gets invite

In January, Harry said he was open to talking things through with his estranged father King Charles and brother Prince William.

"I would like to get my father back, I would like to have my brother back", Harry told ITV's Tom Bradby.

But, he added, "they've shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile".

READ MORE: Meghan 'wants to heal the rift' with royal family

"The ball is in their court", Harry said, "I really hope they're willing to sit down and talk about it".

Now, a close friend of Harry and Meghan has given an insight into why the couple made the decision they did.

"At this point, it's become so personal," the friend told People magazine.

"Maybe what they wanted wasn't achieved, but at the end of the day, he's going there to support his dad."

Prince Harry is expected to attend just the coronation at Westminster Abbey and return swiftly to Meghan hours later.

He is unlikely to attend the coronation concert at Windsor Castle the following day, instead preferring to be there for his son Archie for a belated birthday celebration.

Harry and Meghan's eldest child turns four on coronation day.

A separate source said one of the biggest issues regarding Harry and Meghan's coronation decision was security but that has now been addressed.

Harry has previously said it's unsafe for him and his family to be in the UK after their tax-payer funded police protection was removed when they stepped back as senior working royals in 2020.

The issue remains before the courts after the duke took legal action, challenging the government's refusal to permit it.

In September, 2021, he successfully applied for a judicial review of a decision to provide Metropolitan Police security for his family only on a case-by-case basis, the outcome of which remains unclear.

The source added that Harry "will happily go along with whatever the plan is" on coronation day, even though he'll have no official role in the ceremony, nor will he be included in the procession or balcony appearance.