Prince Harry’s hopes for royal reunion slashed as King Charles makes ‘telling’ move
Prince Harry’s hopes of mending his relationship with the royal family have taken another hit following a recent “telling” move by King Charles, experts have said.
Earlier this month, Harry took center stage at the Invictus Games, an event he founded in 2014. He was accompanied by his wife Meghan Markle in Canada, where they were seen making several affectionate public appearances together.
Shortly after, King Charles met with former Army captain and para-sports athlete David Henson. However, when David mentioned his past participation in the Invictus Games, the King simply responded, “Fantastic,” seemingly avoiding any further discussion about his youngest son.
During an appearance on the Royals with Roya and Kate podcast, royal editors Roya Nikkhah and Kate Mansey discussed Charles’s reaction, stating, “Now that could have been an opportunity for the King to say ‘Oh yes, they’re marvellous’ or whatever that might be.”
They continued, “He just let that comment go and the conversation continued and the King didn’t pick up on that at all. So, I thought that was really interesting, that that was an opportunity for the King to acknowledge the Invictus Games with somebody, who was front and centre of it when it first started, and has been a kind of pin-up for rehabilitation and getting up and getting on with his life and doing incredible things despite having life-threatening, life-altering injuries…That was quite telling, the King just sort of didn’t acknowledge the (Invictus) games at all.”
The distance between Harry and the royal family became more apparent as it’s been more than a year since he last saw his father. The Duke of Sussex returned to London from his home in California in February 2024 upon learning of the King’s cancer diagnosis. However, their meeting was brief and Harry spent the night at a hotel before flying back to the States.
It seems Harry wishes to repair some of the fractures within his family, particularly with his father and brother William, although it may prove to be a tough journey. Royal expert Robert Hardman shared with the Daily Beast, “Whatever reconciliation or bridge-building happens, it needs to be a three-way process.”
The complexity is heightened as Prince William needs to agree to a meeting. “People keep asking about the king’s feelings, but William also has to be on board, which adds complexity. It’s tricky, and a situation nobody wants. But whatever the way forward is, it has to work for everybody.”
Insiders claim the Prince of Wales is not looking to reconcile with his brother due to the numerous claims Harry made about the royal family. The Sunday Times reports that the Prince of Wales may not forgive Harry “anytime soon,” as he is particularly struggling with the remarks about his wife Kate Middleton.
“William is unlikely to forgive Harry any time soon for his slights against Kate in Spare, among them the suggestion she was cold towards Meghan. Those close to William say his brother rarely comes up in conversation,” a source said.
