Prince Harry is set to return to London on Monday for a children’s charity gala. However, the pressing question is whether he will meet his father, King Charles III, after years of tension and hurt.
The last meeting between the self-exiled prince and Charles occurred in February 2024, when Harry returned from California upon learning of his father’s cancer diagnosis.
They had a brief encounter at Charles’s Clarence House residence before Harry returned to the U.S., spending the night at a London hotel.
Now 76, the king undergoes regular treatments for his undisclosed cancer, yet the father-son rift remains.
Harry has visited the UK three times since but hasn’t met Charles, even after a heartfelt plea in May.
“I would love reconciliation with my family,” Harry told the BBC, tearfully adding, “I don’t know how much longer my father has.”
He admitted his father “won’t speak to me… but… it would be nice to reconcile.”
This message might prompt Charles to reach out to Harry to mend their fractured relationship.
Harry, the Duke of Sussex, stepped back as a working royal in 2020, moving to North America with his wife Meghan and their son Archie.
On July 9, King Charles’s press secretary Tobyn Andreae and Harry’s communications head Meredith Maines were seen meeting in London.
A photo of them with Harry’s UK spokesman Liam Maguire on a private terrace sparked speculation about possible reconciliation.
According to the Mirror, they may have “a simple father-son conversation.”
– ‘Fragmented family’ –
Buckingham Palace has not commented on the rumors, but experts don’t dismiss a potential meeting.
“I think reconciliation is on the cards,” historian and royal commentator Ed Owens told AFP.
“It’s in the king’s interest as a public figure to reconcile with his son,” he said.
“It would help knit back this fragmented family, which has been distracted by tabloid stories and scandal,” he added.
Harry will attend a WellChild charity awards ceremony on Monday night, celebrating “the resilience and heroic qualities” of seriously ill children.
He has other engagements lined up this week, his spokesman confirmed.
Charles is expected to be in Scotland on Saturday for the annual Highland Games near Balmoral Castle.
“If the king and Prince Harry meet, where would it be?” asked Joe Little, Majesty Magazine’s managing editor.
– ‘First steps’ –
The July meeting between royal aides “showed a channel of communication,” he said.
“The king still loves Harry. But a lot of unpleasant things have happened,” he added.
The royal family was rocked by revelations in Harry’s “Spare” and an explosive Oprah Winfrey interview, including allegations of racist comments from unnamed relatives.
Harry’s brother Prince William, heir to the throne, was particularly upset by criticisms against him and his wife, Princess Catherine.
Harry acknowledged “some family members may never forgive me for writing a book. They won’t forgive me for many things.”
Meghan hasn’t returned to Britain since Queen Elizabeth II’s September 2022 funeral.
Their children, Archie, 6, and Lilibet, 4, last visited the UK for the queen’s 70th reign anniversary celebrations.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said any meeting would be private and just “the first steps” towards reconciliation.
But he noted William is strongly against welcoming Harry back into the family.
