Prince Harry Returns to England, the Chance to Meet King Charles is Not Clear

LONDON - Prince Harry arrived in Britain on Monday night for a five-day visit. However, the Duke of Sussex's chances of meeting his father, King Charles, are said to be increasingly difficult due to the tight royal schedule and last-minute changes to plans.

The Mirror, quoted Thursday, July 9, reported that Harry came to the UK to mark the countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games, which will be held in Birmingham. The Invictus Games are a sporting event for military personnel and veterans who are injured or ill.

The visit was not smooth from the start. Before arriving in England, Harry was dragged into a debate about royal accommodations, security, and plans to bring Meghan Markle and their children, Archie and Lilibet.

Initially, Harry was said to be considering bringing his family to England. However, the plan was changed at the last minute due to the ongoing security risks. It is not yet clear whether Meghan and the children will join Harry in Birmingham for the Invictus event this weekend.

Amid the changing plans, there is no certainty whether Harry will meet King Charles. The father-son relationship has been strained since Harry and Meghan left the royal role in 2020 and moved to California.

Their relationship became strained after Harry and Meghan made a number of accusations against the royal family. The accusations appeared in an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, a Netflix documentary series in 2022, and Harry's memoir, Spare, in 2023.

Even so, Harry has recently been said to be opening the way to reconciliation with his father. King Charles was diagnosed with cancer in 2024.

Harry and Charles last met in September 2025. At that time, Harry was in the UK for the annual WellChild awards. He visited Clarence House and had a private 50-minute tea with his father.

The meeting was their first face-to-face in 20 months.

Many observers of the kingdom originally hoped that Harry's visit this time would open up the opportunity for a new reunion. The hope was even greater when Meghan, Archie, and Lilibet were still expected to come. Charles is said to have very limited time with his grandchildren.

The Mirror said Harry's travel plans were largely unconfirmed until the last minute. A royal source said King Charles had a very busy schedule and did not plan to change his agenda for the sudden meeting.

Another source said that last-minute changes made the meeting between Harry and Charles now "very difficult" to arrange. Charles is said to have a public agenda and private meetings every day this week.

"All of this business is very tiring and still not finished less than 24 hours before Duke was supposed to arrive. The king is very serious about carrying out his public duties and there will be no sudden changes to his plans," an insider was quoted as saying by The Mirror.

There is a proposal for the Sussex family to meet King Charles at one of his country estates, Highgrove in Gloucestershire or Sandringham in Norfolk, on Saturday after the Invictus event. However, the request for the meeting has not been submitted.

Tensions also arose after Harry and Buckingham Palace had different attitudes about the offer of accommodation. A palace aide said King Charles' patience had been tested by the debate.

A royal aide told The Sun, King Charles lost his patience and refused to meet Harry's demands.

"The patience of the King is exhausted. He wants to be a loving father and grandfather, but it is tested beyond limits. He is not willing to be treated as he pleases, or to continue to let things get chaotic," said the palace aide.