The Duke of Sussex, who has been in the UK since Monday for a series of engagements, was seen arriving at the royal residence in a black car on Wednesday, shortly after the king returned from Scotland. The meeting comes after months of speculation about whether the estranged pair would reconnect.
Harry, who stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and relocated to California, last saw his father when he visited the UK following the monarch’s cancer diagnosis early last year. Since then, the relationship has been strained, with the prince admitting in May that they were not on speaking terms due to his ongoing legal battles in Britain and criticisms of the royal family aired in interviews and his memoir.
Despite the rift, Harry has expressed hopes for reconciliation, recently remarking that he “did not know how much longer my father has.”
The prince marked his return to the UK by visiting the grave of his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, on Monday, before beginning a round of charity events. Although he had visited the UK three times since his last meeting with Charles, their schedules had not aligned — including one occasion where they were just two miles apart.
Signs of a thaw emerged in July when the king’s press secretary was spotted in London with Harry’s head of communications and UK spokesman. The Mail on Sunday published a photo of the meeting, fuelling speculation that father and son were preparing to reconnect.
Wednesday’s meeting now marks the long-awaited reunion many royal watchers had been anticipating.
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