Prince Harry met his father, King Charles III, for tea at Clarence House on Wednesday, marking their first face-to-face meeting in more than a year. The reunion comes after years of strained ties since Harry and his wife, Meghan, stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and settled in California.
Buckingham Palace confirmed the brief private meeting at the King’s London residence, near Buckingham Palace. It occurred shortly after Harry arrived in the UK on Monday, coinciding with the third anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death.
On Wednesday afternoon, Harry was seen entering Clarence House and stayed for less than an hour before heading to an Invictus Games event. The sighting quickly sparked conversations about a possible easing of tensions within the royal family.
As reported by the Associated Press, Prince Harry and King Charles last met in February 2024 when Harry flew to London following news of the King’s cancer diagnosis. That meeting lasted about 45 minutes before Charles travelled to Sandringham to recuperate.
Harry’s relationship with his elder brother, Prince William, remains distant. His April visit to London included no family meetings, as the King was abroad at the time.
One of the biggest obstacles in Harry’s ties with the monarchy has been the loss of his taxpayer-funded security detail. Earlier this year, a UK court dismissed his appeal to restore protection, a decision he criticised as putting his family at risk. Despite this, Harry expressed a desire for reconciliation, telling the BBC: “There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore. Life is precious.”
Reports in July suggested behind-the-scenes discussions between Harry’s US-based communications team and the King’s press office, hinting at possible efforts to repair the relationship.
Though Wednesday’s meeting was brief, royal observers see it as a significant step in bridging years of division. Whether it leads to lasting reconciliation remains uncertain.
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With inputs from Associated Press