Strikes. Inflation. Political instability. It’s been a pretty miserable few months in Britain – but some in government are hoping that the coronation in May changes all that. The bunting will be out and the flags on display, to celebrate our septuagenarian monarch (finally) getting his hands on the Imperial State Crown. But with the royals involved in the odd rumpus or two, which members of King Charles’ family will be there in attendance?

There’s much speculation about whether the dilettante Duke and Duchess of Sussex will take time out of their busy media schedules to mark the happy day. And while many royalists are angry at the couple’s near constant attacks on the House of Windsor, the public are still hoping that the pair both attend. A poll for The Spectator by Redfield and Wilton found that 40 per cent of 1,500 Brits support Prince Harry attending, while 32 per cent oppose. Those numbers drop for Meghan Markle, whose attendance would be supported by 38 per cent of voters and opposed by 35 per cent of those surveyed.

Clearly, it’s not the presence of the Sussexes which annoy most Brits. Indeed, the only senior member of the Royal Family whose attendance is opposed by a plurality of voters is, perhaps unsurprisingly, Prince Andrew. Just a quarter (26 per cent) of voters would support the Duke of York being at his own brother’s coronation, while 38 per cent either ‘oppose’ or ‘strongly oppose.’

Guests lists are not the only headache for the new King of course. There has been a very public debate, played out in the press, about the size and scale of Charles’ coronation: should it be a stripped down affair, or a grand one on the scale of his mother’s back in 1953? The public, it seems, overwhelmingly support the former, with 59 per cent of voters hoping that the coronation of King Charles III is a ‘less grand, more modest occasion.’ Sadly, for traditionalists, just six per cent oppose this view while only four per cent ‘strongly’ oppose it.

Will Charles heed the wishes of his loyal subjects? We await to see come Saturday 6 May…