Prince Harry seemingly set familial strife aside on Saturday to stand by father King Charles during his coronation in London. But after he arrived at Westminster Abbey to witness the crowning, Harry’s view was awkwardly blocked by his aunt — and her big feathered hat.
The Duke of Sussex undoubtedly saw red when Princess Anne sat down in front of him, with her hat and its crimson feather quickly obstructing his line of sight. In televised footage of the event, Harry appeared to shift in his seat for a better view. Anne didn’t seem to notice his plight as she chatted with other attendees, however.
The princess had received the title of Gold Stick in Waiting for the king’s coronation in recognition of her years of service. Anne told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that she was glad to don military-style regalia to fulfill that position because it solved her “dress problem”. Harry, who didn’t have a formal role at his father’s coronation, was seen with an expression of hilarious disbelief as he watched the princess take her seat.
Saturday’s coronation, the UK’s first in almost 70 years, is only the second in history to be televised. Charles has now become the 40th monarch crowned at Westminster Abbey since the year 1066.
Harry sat in the church’s third row — between Princess Eugenie’s husband, Jack Brooksbank, and Queen Elizabeth II’s cousin Princess Alexandra. The front row was reserved for working members of the royal family, thus excluding Harry.
Though this wasn’t the only hat-related incident at the ceremony, the feather moment nonetheless went viral. It reminded some viewers of the candle that blocked a view of Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle, at Elizabeth’s funeral last year — and perhaps confirmed that watching something on TV is often better than seeing it live.