Britain’s Prince Harry meets father King Charles for first time in 20 months
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Britain's Prince Harry leaving Clarence House in London on Sept 10, after tea with his father, King Charles.
PHOTO: AFP
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- Prince Harry met King Charles for tea on September 10, their first meeting in 20 months, potentially easing their strained relationship.
- Harry criticised the Royal Family after moving to California in 2020, but expressed a desire for reconciliation with his family.
- Anthony Seldon noted reconciliation benefits both the monarchy and Charles and Harry, who likely experienced "anguish".
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LONDON – Prince Harry had tea with King Charles on Sept 10 at their first meeting in 20 months, in what may prove a first step towards ending a much-publicised rift between father and son.
The Duke of Sussex last saw his father in February 2024, shortly after it was announced that the King was undergoing treatment for an unspecified form of cancer.
Buckingham Palace confirmed that the King, 76, had a private tea at Clarence House in London with his son on Sept 10.
The Prince, 40, travelled directly to an Invictus Games event in London after the meeting.
Asked by a reporter about his father, he said: “Yes, he’s great, thank you.”
Prince Harry flew into Britain on Sept 8 for a series of engagements, and earlier on Sept 10 visited a research centre which specialises in improving treatment for victims with blast injuries.
Since the Prince and his American wife Meghan moved to California in 2020, where they now live with their two children, they have been highly critical of the royal family and the institution in interviews, TV documentaries and Prince Harry’s autobiography, Spare.
The Prince had some particularly barbed comments for King Charles and his elder brother, heir-to-the-throne Prince William, leading to a total breakdown in his relationship with his family.
But after losing a legal battle with the British government over his security
“Of course some members of my family will never forgive me for writing a book. Of course they will never forgive me for lots of things. But you know... I would love reconciliation with my family... There’s no point in continuing to fight any more. And life is precious,” he told the BBC.
“I don’t know how much longer my father has. He won’t speak to me because of this security stuff, but it would be nice to reconcile.”
‘A lot of anguish’
Both Buckingham Palace and Prince Harry’s representatives had been tight-lipped ahead of the Prince’s visit to Britain about whether there would be a meeting with the King.
However, the King’s communications chief and Prince Harry’s media representatives were pictured in July at a secret meeting in London in what newspapers suggested might be the first steps towards a reconciliation.
Prince Harry (centre) on Sept 10 visited a research centre which specialises in improving treatment for victims with blast injuries.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Historian and author Anthony Seldon said mending their relationship was important for the monarchy and for both King Charles and Prince Harry as individuals.
“The King is the King, but he’s also a human being and a loving father,” Sir Anthony told Reuters.
“I think the rift will have caused both of them a lot of anguish. So if that can be healed, at least in part, now or subsequently, then that’s all to the good.” REUTERS
