Prince Harry won’t see his father Charles III when visiting London

We might have expected a meeting, but ultimately there was none. Prince Harry, in London on Tuesday for a charity event, will not see his father King Charles III, who is suffering from cancer, during his visit to the United Kingdom, a spokesman said.

The Duke of Sussex has famously maintained a rocky relationship with the king and especially his brother, heir to the crown William, since he slammed the door on the monarchy to settle in California with his wife Meghan in 2020. On his last known visit to the United Kingdom on 6 February, he nevertheless returned to London to briefly see Charles, whose cancer had just been announced.

This time he was in the British capital for a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, an international competition for wounded soldiers, which inevitably sparked rumors of a visit to his father.

Such a meeting “would unfortunately not be possible due to the very busy schedule of His Majesty Charles III,” Harry’s spokesman said. “The Duke is of course aware of his father’s plans, commitments and other priorities and hopes to see him soon,” the same source added.

Return of the King to Public Life

Nine months after his coronation in May 2023, the palace announced in early February that Charles III was suffering from cancer, discovered after prostate surgery in January. His nature and state of progress were never specified, but the announcement of his illness was in itself a small revolution, breaking the silence that had hitherto surrounded the health of the sovereigns.

The 75-year-old king, still undergoing treatment, resumed his public activities last week, meeting the public, smiling and shaking hands but moving slowly.