Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, will make a rare four-day visit to the United Kingdom next week for a series of charity appearances, and friends say he hopes to bring his children back to show them where he grew up.
The 40-year-old, who moved to the United States five years ago, is scheduled to attend the WellChild Awards and other philanthropic events during the trip, which sources described to the Daily Mail as his longest stay in Britain since he returned for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022. The visit follows a High Court hearing in April over changes to his security arrangements.
Friends told the Daily Mail that Harry wants to show his children — Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four — the places where he grew up. Meghan Markle has not travelled to the UK since September 2022, and the couple's children last visited for the late Queen's platinum jubilee celebrations in June 2022. In May, Harry told the BBC that he "misses the UK" but said he could not yet envisage bringing his wife and children back, saying, "I can't see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the UK at this point. And the things they're going to miss, well, everything … I miss the UK."
The Mail on Sunday reported that a meeting between Harry and his father, King Charles, could be possible while both men are in London midweek. The newspaper quoted a source saying a meeting was "not off the table" and that only a small circle — including the king's private secretary, Clive Alderton — would know if any arrangement had been made. The Mail on Sunday said Harry would be prepared to drop other engagements if an invitation to meet were extended.
Other accounts of the visit differ slightly on the king's location. Some reports said the king remained at Balmoral as Harry arrived; the Mail on Sunday said the king would be in the capital midweek for cancer treatment. The palace has not issued an official schedule confirming a meeting between the two.
Harry's planned appearances are focused on charities and public engagements rather than family business, according to the reports. His April court appearance over changes to his security arrangements marked one of his more recent returns to Britain, and the forthcoming trip will extend beyond his previous brief visits since his move to the United States.
The prospect of Harry bringing his children back to Britain introduces logistical and security considerations that have shaped past visits by the couple. Since the family stepped back from full-time royal duties in 2020 and relocated to the United States, travel to and from the UK for public and private occasions has been sporadic and closely scrutinised. Discussions about security, accommodation and protocol have accompanied previous returns and court proceedings.
Representatives for Harry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The palace has not confirmed any private meetings or provided details of the king's schedule beyond official public engagements.
Harry's return for charity events underscores continued public interest in the Sussexes' relationship with the royal family and their ongoing philanthropic work. Whether the visit will lead to renewed private contacts between Harry and King Charles remains unconfirmed and, as reported, would be arranged quietly if it happens.