Prince Harry was in the UK last week on a brief visit to attend a special 10th anniversary ceremony for the Invictus Games but he was refused a meeting by his father King Charles
Prince Harry is deeply shocked at his father’s blunt refusal to see him and was left reeling from the “painful” public rejection, a royal expert has claimed.
The 39-year-old was in London last week for a special anniversary event to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games but was snubbed by his father who had no time to see him. As rumours began to swirl about a possible reunion between Harry and Charles, just months after the pair reconciled following the monarch’s cancer diagnosis, the Duke of Sussex took the unexpected step of releasing a statement, confirming that he would not be meeting with his father during his whirlwind trip.
“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 program,” a spokesperson for Harry shared. “The duke, of course, is understanding of his father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon.”
Royal expert and author Tom Quinn told The Mirror Harry is devastated over his father’s public rejection, especially as the Duke’s trip to London was expected to see the father and son reunite. “He was deeply shocked at his father’s blunt refusal to see him even for a moment,” he explained. “This time the rejection was particularly painful because it was so public – Harry may have issued a statement saying he completely understood why his father didn’t have time to see him, but everyone knows the real reason had nothing to do with busy schedules.” The Mirror has approached the Sussexes for comment.
Harry was in London for three days and was also reportedly forced to stay in a hotel after he was refused accommodation at one of the Royal Family’s residences. According to The Times, the father-of-two had put in a “request” to see his father well in advance of his visit, as royal protocols require him to give 28 days’ notice. However, Buckingham Palace sources claimed Harry “changed his mind” over staying in one of the royal palaces while in London, and did not request to see his father.
The King once had a close relationship with his youngest son (
Charles had a jam-packed schedule while Harry was in London, as he hosted Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for his weekly audience, and was a mere three miles away from his estranged son. The 76-year-old also visited a military barracks and hosted a garden party at Buckingham Palace, which Harry was reportedly not invited to. The Duke travelled to London without his wife Meghan Markle, or their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, and royal fans were disappointed there was no meeting between Charles and his grandchildren, who he last saw at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.