Prince Harry will not meet King Charles during his visit to the UK, The Independent understands.
The Duke of Sussex arrived back in the UK this afternoon (7 May) to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games.
The Duke, 39, was not accompanied by his wife Meghan Markle, 42, or their children, Archie and Lilibet. It is also understood that none of Harry’s immediate family will attend the ceremony tomorrow.
The fifth in line to the throne has not been in the country since February when he met with the King for a flying visit following the monarch’s cancer diagnosis.
Harry is scheduled to give a speech on Wednesday (8 May) to mark the anniversary of the games he founded in 2014 at a thanksgiving ceremony in St Paul’s Cathedral.
His arrival was announced by royal editor Chris Ship on Twitter (X), who revealed Harry will also be attending some Invictus-related events today.
A spokesperson for the Duke said: “It unfortunately will not be possible due to His Majesty’s full programme. The Duke of course is understanding of his father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon.”
The Prince’s return comes amid a tumultuous time for the royal family, who have been plagued by health troubles this year.
Prince Harry will not meet with King Charles on visit
The representative for the Duke of Sussex, 39, said that a reunion will not be possible because of the Monarch’s busy schedule following his return to duty last week.
“It unfortunately will not be possible due to His Majesty’’s full programme. The Duke of course is understanding of his father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon,” they said.
Harry and the King last saw each other for a reported 45 minutes in February following news of Charles’s cancer diagnosis breaking.
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At the time, the Duchess was said to be “undergoing further investigations to ensure that it has been caught in the early stages.”
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Prince Harry sets out UK trip plans as King to miss reunion
The Duke of Sussex joked about his plans during his trip to the UK as his spokesperson confirmed he would not be reuniting with King Charles III during his visit.
Harry is in the UK celebrating the 10th anniversary of his Paralympic-style tournament for wounded veterans and serving military.
He joked during an Invictus summit event he would be spending the evening having dinner with former Invictus Games Foundation trustee Guy Monson.
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Prince Harry pays tribute to Invictus Games family’s ‘commitment, enthusiasm and belief’
The Duke of Sussex has paid tribute to the Invictus Games family’s “commitment, enthusiasm and belief” as he returned to the UK to celebrate 10 years of the sporting event.
Harry has been the driving force behind the Paralympics-style tournament he launched in 2014 to support the rehabilitation of wounded or sick service personnel or veterans, and he joined an Invictus conference looking back over the past decade.
The duke was last in the country to visit the King after his cancer diagnosis, and there is speculation father and son could meet this week.
Harry arrived at the Honourable Artillery Company’s headquarters on the edge of the City of London for the one-day summit, called the Invictus Games Foundation Conversation, ahead of attending Wednesday’s St Paul’s Cathedral ceremony also marking the 10th anniversary.
Writing in the foreword for the summit, Harry said: “It has been an honour to watch the Invictus Games Foundation grow over the years; what began as a vision to pay tribute to the courage and resilience of wounded, injured, and sick service personnel and veterans, has flourished into an international organisation built on hope, strength, and unity.”
Harry was inspired to found the global tournament after attending the Warrior Games in Colorado in 2013 and seeing how injured American military personnel thrived on the challenge of taking part in competitive sports that aided their recovery.
He went on to stage the inaugural games in London’s Olympic Park in 2014, followed by Orlando in 2016, Toronto in 2017 and Sydney 2018.
Organisers said after 2020, Invictus will be staged every two years, but The Hague Games planned for that year was delayed by the pandemic until 2022, followed by Dusseldorf 2023, while Vancouver Whistler is planned for 2025.
The duke wrote: “As we look ahead to the first winter hybrid Games at Vancouver Whistler 2025 next year, we are eager to celebrate the Invictus Spirit once again – exemplified in every single competitor, staff, friend and family member – your commitment, enthusiasm and belief, have been the driving force behind our continued success.”
He added: “Together, we have created a legacy that transcends sports; a community that embraces compassion, respect, and the unyielding belief in the power of the human spirit. As we celebrate this milestone, let us recommit to the Invictus mission.”
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Prince Harry ‘hopes’ to see King ‘soon’ but reunion not in the cards
The Duke of Sussex “hopes” to see his father “soon” after the King’s “full programme” meant a reunion was not possible during Harry’s UK trip to celebrate his Invictus Games.
Harry has travelled to London to mark the 10th anniversary of his Paralympic-style tournament for wounded veterans and serving military but will not cap his visit by sitting down with his father.
The former working royal joked during an Invictus summit event he would be spending the evening having dinner with former Invictus Games Foundation trustee Guy Monson.
The pair last met soon after the King announced his cancer diagnosis in February and his son, who now lives with his family in California, rushed from America to see his father.
A spokesperson for the duke said: “In response to the many inquiries and continued speculation on whether or not the duke will meet with his father while in the UK this week, it unfortunately will not be possible due to His Majesty’s full programme.
“The duke of course is understanding of his father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon.”
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Camilla told excited children at Moreland Primary School in Islington, London: “The more you’re going to learn the more you’re going to get on in life.
“It’s so important to keep reading.”
The library’s opening is part of the Coronation Libraries Project which honours the Queen’s significant contributions to literacy initiatives and her encouragement for children to embrace reading.
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Harry hopes to see King ‘soon’ after full programme means reunion not possible
The Duke of Sussex “hopes” to see his father “soon” after the King’s “full programme” meant a reunion was not possible during Harry’s UK trip to celebrate his Invictus Games.
Harry has travelled to London to mark the 10th anniversary of his Paralympic-style tournament for wounded veterans and serving military but will not cap his visit by sitting down with his father.
The pair last met soon after the King announced his cancer diagnosis in February and his son, who now lives with his family in California, rushed from America to see his father.
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