Prince Harry will not meet his father King Charles III during his trip to Britain because of the monarch’s ‘full programme’, but insisted that he ‘hopes to see him soon’.
The Duke of Sussex arrived in the UK alone today after flying in from California for a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games in London tomorrow.
Ahead of the service, Harry visited Armoury House this afternoon for an Invictus Games discussion called ‘Realising a Global Community’ hosted by Louise Minchin.
The Prince had hoped to meet his estranged father the King during his trip, which follows a previous quick visit in February after Charles’s cancer diagnosis. And Harry’s event was just three miles away from where Charles was at Clarence House.
But Harry’s spokesman said today: ‘In response to the many inquiries and continued speculation on whether or not The Duke will meet with his father while in the UK this week, it unfortunately will not be possible due to His Majesty’s full programme.
‘The Duke of course is understanding of his father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon.’
Reacting to the news, royal expert Richard Palmer said: ‘It’s surprising if the King and Harry are not meeting at all and perhaps a sign of how much bridge-building still needs to be done. There’s been much media speculation that father and son would meet. While that always looked like guessing, I’d have guessed they would meet too.’
Harry is understood to have various Invictus Games commitments today, according to ITV. These are expected to include further meetings and a dinner this evening.
Tomorrow, the Duke is set to give a reading at a service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral marking a decade since the inaugural competition in London in 2014.
Prince Harry, patron of the Invictus Games Foundation, on stage during a discussion titled ‘Realising a Global Community’ at the Honourable Artillery Company in London this afternoon
Prince Harry at Armoury House in London this afternoon for an Invictus Games discussion called ‘Realising a Global Community’ hosted by Louise Minchin, ahead of the service
Prince Harry speaks with a member of the Company of Pikemen and Musketeers at the Honourable Artillery Company in London today
Harry at Armoury House in London today for an Invictus Games panel with Louise Minchin
Invictus Games Foundation chief executive Dominic Reid and Prince Harry at the Honourable Artillery Company in London this afternoon
Prince Harry meets Louise Minchin at the Invictus Games event at Armoury House today
Harry was three miles away from Charles at the Invictus Games discussion in London today
Organisers had said there was no confirmation of any other royals attending, or if Harry’s wife Meghan Markle or children Archie and Lilibet would also be in the UK.
But Harry arrived in London by himself today, and is expected to join the Duchess on a tour to Nigeria later this week with Meghan set to fly there from the US by herself.
And Harry is not anticipated to see his brother Prince William , who is scheduled to be away from the capital on Thursday and Friday, or his sister-in-law Kate Middleton whose cancer treatment continues following her revealing the diagnosis in March.
Earlier today, Charles was photographed being driven from Windsor Castle before arriving at Clarence House in London soon after. The King later held an audience nearby at Buckingham Palace with the Prime Minister of Fiji, Sitiveni Rabuka.
The Duke has invited William and other senior members of the Royal Family to the service but none of them are expected to attend, sources told Page Six in the US.
Among the royals who could attend include his cousins Zara Tindall and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, but there has been no confirmation of this. Harry is expected to stay at a hotel in London because he no longer has Frogmore Cottage in Windsor.
Prince Harry at the Honourable Artillery Company in London this afternoon
Harry at Armoury House in London today for an Invictus Games panel with Louise Minchin
Invictus Games Foundation chief executive Dominic Reid and Prince Harry at the Honourable Artillery Company in London this afternoon
Prince Harry at Armoury House in London this afternoon for an Invictus Games discussion
Sir Keith Mills, who helped establish the Invictus Games, greets Prince Harry in London today
Prince Harry is seen at Armoury House in London today attending an Invictus Games event
Today, Harry paid tribute to the Invictus Games family’s ‘commitment, enthusiasm and belief’ and joined an Invictus conference looking back over the past decade.
Harry arrived at the Honourable Artillery Company’s headquarters on the edge of the City of London for the one-day summit, called the Invictus Games Foundation Conversation, ahead of tomorrow’s service
Writing in the foreword for the summit, Harry said: ‘It has been an honour to watch the Invictus Games Foundation grow over the years; what began as a vision to pay tribute to the courage and resilience of wounded, injured, and sick service personnel and veterans, has flourished into an international organisation built on hope, strength, and unity.’
Harry was inspired to found the global tournament after attending the Warrior Games in Colorado in 2013 and seeing how injured American military personnel thrived on the challenge of taking part in competitive sports that aided their recovery.
King Charles III greets the Prime Minister of Fiji, Sitiveni Rabuka, at Buckingham Palace today
Queen Camilla is also seen arriving at Clarence House in London this morning
King Charles III waves as he is driven away from Clarence House in London this morning
He went on to stage the inaugural games in London’s Olympic Park in 2014, followed by Orlando in 2016, Toronto in 2017 and Sydney 2018.
Organisers said after 2020, Invictus will be staged every two years, but The Hague Games planned for that year was delayed by the pandemic until 2022, followed by Dusseldorf 2023, while Vancouver Whistler is planned for 2025.
The duke wrote: ‘As we look ahead to the first winter hybrid Games at Vancouver Whistler 2025 next year, we are eager to celebrate the Invictus Spirit once again – exemplified in every single competitor, staff, friend and family member – your commitment, enthusiasm and belief, have been the driving force behind our continued success.’
He added: ‘Together, we have created a legacy that transcends sports; a community that embraces compassion, respect, and the unyielding belief in the power of the human spirit. As we celebrate this milestone, let us recommit to the Invictus mission.’
King Charles III is pictured holding papers as he arrives at Clarence House in London today
King Charles III leaves Windsor Castle as he heads to Clarence House in London this morning
The King is driven away from Windsor Castle this morning as he travels to Clarence House
Charles is likely to be in London tomorrow for his usual weekly audience with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, but it does not appear father and son will be able to meet.
Although Charles has been left wounded by his son’s behaviour in recent years, he has always privately insisted he will keep the door open for him to at least speak.
William, however, is understood to find his brother’s betrayal more difficult to forgive or even put to one side.
The Prince and Princess of Wales will be at Windsor where they have asked for privacy so that Kate can focus on her recovery from serious abdominal surgery and ongoing preventative chemotherapy for the cancer that was subsequently discovered.
It will be Harry’s first visit to the UK since February when he returned for a brief trip to see his father the King following his cancer diagnosis.
It is also the first major event he has attended in Britain for some time and comes amid his ongoing a legal case about his personal security arrangements whenever he is in the UK.
It will also be Harry’s first visit since the Princess of Wales revealed her cancer diagnosis.
Experts say that while he may meet his father the King, he will unlikely meet up with Kate or Prince William.
April 12, 2024 — Harry and Meghan at a charity polo match for Sentebale in Wellington, Florida
February 14, 2024 — Harry and Meghan attend an Invictus Games event in Whistler, Canada
February 6, 2024 — Prince Harry arrives at Clarence House in London to visit his father Charles
September 16, 2023 — Prince Harry and Meghan at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, Germany
May 6, 2023 — Harry leaves Westminster Abbey after the Coronation of Charles and Camilla
Royal author Tom Bower told MailOnline: ‘I’m sure he won’t see Kate. I would be surprised if Meghan came.’
Fellow royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams added: ‘Catherine is undergoing preventative chemotherapy treatment and given how deep the rift is, to me it seems unlikely.
‘The only hope of reconciliation is that it would happen privately and we wouldn’t know.’
And former BBC royal correspondent Michael Cole said: ‘After so much bad blood, it is very difficult indeed to see any sort of reconciliation between the Sussexes and the Royal Family happening (this) week – or for the foreseeable future.’
Harry and Meghan were understood to have made contact with the Prince and Princess of Wales ‘privately’ after Kate announced her cancer diagnosis.
They also released a statement, saying: ‘We wish health and healing for Kate and the family.’
Tomorrow’s service at St Paul’s, which is expected to run from 5pm until 6pm, will come two days after Harry’s son Archie celebrated his fifth birthday yesterday.
Actor Damian Lewis is set to recite a poem during the service.
September 14, 2022 — Harry and Meghan with other royals at the Queen’s funeral in London
September 10, 2022 — William, Kate, Harry and Meghan in Windsor after the Queen’s death
June 3, 2022 — Harry and Meghan at St Paul’s Cathedral following a Platinum Jubilee service
July 1, 2021 — Harry and Meghan at Kensington Palace to unveil a statue of their mother Diana
Representatives from across the Invictus Games participating nations, including members of the wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veteran community, will also be in attendance.
Following the ceremony, Harry and Meghan are scheduled to head to Nigeria after being invited by the west African country’s chief of defence staff.
He met Harry in Germany last September at the Invictus Games Düsseldorf in Germany, which was also attended by the Duchess.
Harry is patron of the Invictus Games Foundation and last year released a documentary series with Netflix called Heart of Invictus about the athletes.
Yesterday, the Sussexes celebrated Archie’s fifth birthday privately before their upcoming travel plans, reported People.
A source said a ‘low-key’ party was planned at the family’s £12million mansion in Montecito, California.
They added: ‘They’ll have friends around them and Meghan’s mom, Doria (Ragland). Meghan will definitely have support that weekend.’
Speaking about Lilibet, the source also said: ‘They are so sweet together. Archie loves Lili. He’s such a sweet boy. When she’s not around, he asks, ‘Where’s Lili?”
March 11, 2019 — Harry and Meghan speak with William and Charles at Westminster Abbey
November 27, 2017 — Harry and Meghan at Kensington Palace after their engagement
June 16, 2012 — Prince Harry with Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice at Buckingham Palace
In February, the Duke and Duchess both attended a launch event for the new winter version of the Invictus Games in Whistler, Canada.
Speaking to ABC’s Good Morning America at the time, Harry said: The kids are doing great.’ He added. ‘The kids are growing up like all kids do, very, very fast.
‘They’ve both got an incredible sense of humour and make us laugh and keep us grounded every single day, like most kids do. I’m just grateful to be a dad.’
Also yesterday, Charles and Queen Camilla celebrated the first anniversary of their Coronation, which was attended by Harry – fifth in line to the throne.
He was seated in the third row in Westminster Abbey and had no formal role in the proceedings.
