After months of speculation and years of tension, Prince Harry’s UK trip has delivered the royal moment many were waiting for: a face-to-face between father and son.
The Duke of Sussex was photographed arriving at Clarence House on Wednesday evening in a Range Rover, dressed in a dark suit, just hours after King Charles returned from Balmoral.
Just 55 minutes later, Prince Harry emerged, having reportedly shared a private tea with the King.
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It’s the first time the pair have met in person in 19 months, despite Prince Harry flying back to the UK several times for court cases and his uncle’s funeral.
The meeting was jammed into a packed schedule for King Charles.
At 4:35pm, the king attended a Privy Council meeting for 30 minutes. From 4.15pm - 5pm, Charles attended an investiture with Manfred Goldberg, a 95-year-old Holocaust survivor.
Harry was seen arriving at 5.21pm.
By 6.10pm, the King had begun a meeting with an Australian dignitary inside Clarence House, with the Duke spotted leaving in the back of a Range Rover at 6.14pm.
Their last encounter was a brief meeting after the King revealed his cancer diagnosis in early 2024, followed by what’s been described as only “minimal contact” since — a single birthday phone call.
Unlike previous whistle-stop visits, Prince Harry is spending several days in the UK this time.
He attended the WellChild Awards, one of his long-term patronages, where he joked with young winners about sibling rivalries, a nod, perhaps, to his own icy relationship with Prince William. He also pledged $A2.25 million to BBC Children in Need and spent three hours at Nottingham’s Community Recording Studio youth project, telling those gathered, “Nottingham has my respect, my commitment, and a permanent place in my heart.”
Prince Harry’s decision to stay in a hotel, paying out of pocket rather than using a royal residence, underscored how strained relations have been.
Insiders said no formal invitation had been extended, but the Duke was hopeful of seeing his father. Wednesday’s meeting is now being hailed as a critical first step towards reconciliation.
“There’s no point in continuing to fight any more,” Prince Harry said earlier this year in a BBC interview, expressing his wish to rebuild ties with his family.
“I would love a reconciliation.”
This tea-time summit may be exactly that.
Palace sources have described it as “significant,” with royal commentators suggesting the private chat signals that “a channel of communication is open for the first time in years.”
Still, one meeting doesn’t heal years of tension overnight.
Prince Harry and Prince William remain estranged, with the Duke laying bare their feud in interviews and his bestselling memoir Spare.
It is understood the brothers will not be meeting.
Prince Harry is expected to fly back to Montecito soon, reuniting with Meghan Markle, Prince Archie, and Princess Lilibet.
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