Prince Harry unlikely to see King Charles during his next trip to the UK

Prince Harry unlikely to see King Charles during his next trip to the UK

PA/Getty
Holly Bishop

By Holly Bishop


Published: 18/09/2024

- 14:11

The Duke of Sussex will fly to London to present an award at a children's charity on September 30

Prince Harry will return to the UK at the end of the month, though it is unlikely that he will reunite with his father, King Charles, during his upcoming trip.

The Duke of Sussex will fly to London to present an award and deliver a speech at the WellChild Awards, which honours seriously ill children.


Harry has been a patron of the charity since 2007, and has regularly attended 12 of the organisation’s previous events.

He will meet with the young recipients of the various awards on September 30, where he will personally present the gong for inspirational child aged four to six.

King Charles/HarryPrince Harry unlikely to see King Charles during his next trip to the UKPA/Getty

However, one person he is unlikely to meet during his time back in the UK is his father.

The pair last saw each other in February when Charles was diagnosed with cancer and the duke jetted over from California to see him, but he was given just over 30 minutes with the King.

A reunion on this trip - which marks Harry’s fourth time in London this year - seems dubious given the fact that King Charles will be in Scotland on September 28. He will be speaking at Holyrood’s 25th anniversary celebrations and is expected to remain in the country for a couple of days after the event.

Announcing his upcoming appearance at the awards, Harry said: “I am once again honoured to attend this year’s WellChild Awards, celebrating the remarkable courage and achievements of children living with complex medical needs.

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Harry and CharlesHarry and his father last saw each other in February when Charles was first diagnosed with cancerGetty
King Charles and Prince Harry

The pair are unlikely to reunite

Getty

“These incredible young people, along with the dedicated caregivers, nurses, and professionals who tirelessly support them, inspire us all. It is a true privilege to recognise such extraordinary individuals.”

Discussing the event in memoir Spare, he said that he always found it “gutting”, and visibly became emotional during the 2019 ceremony.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down as working royals in 2020 and subsequently moved to Montecito with their two children Archie, five, and Lilibet,

The relationship with his family was rocked by the publication of his autobiography in January 2023, which had a torrent of shocking claims made about Kate, William, King Charles and Queen Camilla.

Harry wrote that his brother was critical of his wife Meghan Markle, whom with he relocated to the United States in 2020, and that William allegedly called her “difficult”, “rude” and “abrasive”.

\u200bPrince Harry speaks at the WellChild AwardsPrince Harry speaks at the WellChild Awards REUTERS / WELLCHILD AWARDS
Prince Harry SparePrince Harry released Spare in January 2023PA

He also referred to Queen Camilla as his "wicked stepmother”, and later he called her the “other woman”, saying meeting her was like an “injection”.

A friend of Camilla later revealed that she was left “hurt” by the remarks, and Charles reportedly asked Harry to stop “leaking” personal details about the private life of the family.

However, there has been speculation that Harry, who has just turned 40 this month, wants a fresh start with his family back in the UK, especially in light of his father’s cancer diagnosis earlier this year.

Insiders have claimed that Harry is considering turning to trusted allies to help ease his return, mapping out a “blueprint” for the timeline of his homecoming.

However, a security row over his protection in the UK has also resulted in Harry stating that it is too “dangerous” to bring his wife and children back.

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