Harry is expected in London on September 8 (Image: Karwai Tang/WireImage)Prince Harry is set to reunite with his father, King Charles, for the first time in 20 months when he touches down in Britain in a fortnight – though Prince William has snubbed any chance of making peace with his sibling.
The warming of ties between the Duke of Sussex and the monarch follows behind-the-scenes talks with Buckingham Palace aides. Harry is anticipated in London on September 8 – marking three years since Queen Elizabeth II’s passing – to attend the WellChild Awards, a charitable cause he has championed for years.
The timing signals the Duke’s first return since his unsuccessful legal challenge over reduced security arrangements in the UK. Meanwhile, the King remains on British soil with no scheduled overseas trips until late September, creating an opportunity for the pair to reconnect face-to-face for the first time since February 2024.
The duo haven’t crossed paths since January of last year, during which time His Majesty has been receiving cancer treatment.
A source across the Atlantic revealed to the Mirror: “It’s clear there is now a determination on both sides to make this happen. Nobody is pretending the wider family issues have been resolved, but this is about beginning with Charles and Harry.
Prince Harry “can’t see a world” in which he would bring his wife and children to the UK after losing a security court case, he told the BBC(Image: AFP via Getty Images)“For the first time in a long time, there’s a genuine sense that reconciliation is within reach. Prince Harry’s team and the Palace have opened a line of communication, and there is every hope that father and son will see one another when the Duke returns to London in September.
They continued: “After 20 months apart, and with the King continuing his treatment, the feeling is that the time is right to take that step.
“This is not about grand gestures or set-piece meetings – it’s about a simple face-to-face conversation between a father and his son. The priority is privacy and dignity, but also ensuring the door stays open for further dialogue. As for Harry and William, though, any chance of reconciliation between them has been rejected out of hand.”
Despite the potential encounter, it’s believed Harry’s spouse, Meghan Markle, will continue her voluntary absence from Britain, choosing to remain in California with their two youngsters, Archie and Lilibet.
Charles hasn’t laid eyes on his grandchildren since June 2022, when the Sussexes travelled back for the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee festivities.
Last month, Harry’s head of communications, Meredith Maines, held talks with the King’s press secretary Tobyn Andreae at the Royal Overseas League in London.
Prince Harry is poised to see his father for the first time in 20 months when he returns to Britain in two weeks (Image: Getty)Liam Maguire, who manages the Sussexes’ UK media relations, was also present at the gathering, which was viewed as a significant move towards establishing communication channels.
The talks covered the prospect of Harry getting direct briefings on his father’s wellbeing and coordination to prevent conflicts between Sussex initiatives and Royal duties.
In May, the Duke expressed his distress in a frank interview with the BBC, revealing he was “devastated” after losing his legal battle to maintain police protection whilst in Britain.
He shared with the broadcaster his desire for a reconciliation with his family, but lamented that the King “won’t speak to me because of this security stuff.”
Harry and Meghan during their Oprah interview(Image: HARPO PRODUCTIONS/AFP via Getty)He expressed his exhaustion from the ongoing conflict and added: “I do not know how much longer my father has.”
Despite this public plea, personal contact has been minimal. The decision for the Duchess of Sussex and their children, Archie, six, and Lilibet, four, to remain in the States follows the prince’s previous statement that he “can’t see a world” where he could bring his children to Britain without adequate security protection.
Although the King has shown a willingness to reconcile, the relationship between Harry and the Prince of Wales remains significantly strained.
A separate source added: “William feels Harry has repeatedly chosen public exposure over private resolution and that the Royal Family can’t keep being dragged into the headlines every time there’s a new contract to promote.
“The issue with Harry, as well as Meghan, is one of trust. Since relocating to North America, they have eroded all confidence in their ability to keep matters or their criticisms private. For any chance of progress, that trust needs to be rebuilt, and Team Sussex knows the responsibility lies with them.”
Since withdrawing from Royal responsibilities in 2020, Harry and Meghan have launched a series of attacks against the monarchy. Their explosive March 2021 sit-down with Oprah Winfrey, where they made claims of racism within the institution and revealed Meghan had contemplated suicide, sent shockwaves around the globe.
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Their Netflix documentary series in 2022 branded the palace guilty of “unconscious bias” and accused officials of planting stories in the media, whilst Harry’s bombshell autobiography Spare, released in early 2023, claimed that William had physically assaulted him during a heated argument about Meghan and suggested Queen Camilla had orchestrated negative briefings against him to bolster her own reputation.
Whilst Charles has reportedly been left “deeply saddened” by the pair’s accusations, the monarch has maintained an open-door policy regarding potential reconciliation. However, William is understood to have taken a tougher position, believing there’s minimal chance of repairing the damaged relationship.
Representatives for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Buckingham Palace declined to comment.