Prince Harry said he "loved" his recent return to the United Kingdom, following a private reunion with King Charles III that came more than a year after the two had last met in person.
The 40-year-old Duke of Sussex met the 76-year-old monarch at Clarence House for what aides described as a private tea that lasted just under an hour. After the meeting, Harry told reporters that the king was "doing great," and a spokesperson for the duke told Page Six that Harry had "loved being back in the UK, catching up with old friends, colleagues, and just generally being able to support the incredible work of the causes that mean so much to him." The spokesperson said Harry showed his father photographs and videos of his children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4.
The visit included other private and public moments. Harry visited the gravesite of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, and attended events connected to charities with which he is involved. Photographs published by media outlets showed the duke arriving at Clarence House in a black SUV and leaving after the meeting.
Harry had not seen his father in person since the king disclosed a cancer diagnosis in February. The pair's relationship has been strained since the duke stepped down from royal duties and relocated to the United States in 2020, and was further tested by the publication of Harry's memoir, Spare, in January 2023. In that book, Harry made allegations about family remarks and dynamics that contributed to a wider public rift. The duke has also been involved in legal disputes over the removal of publicly funded security.
In May, Harry told the BBC that Charles would not speak to him, and his earlier comments acknowledged that "some members" of his family would "never forgive" him for things including the memoir. Details of the conversation at Clarence House were not disclosed beyond Harry's brief comment to reporters and the spokesperson's summary of the trip.
Hopes that Harry's visit would include a reconciliation with his elder brother, Prince William, were not realized. Kensington Palace said the Duke of Cambridge was scheduled with royal engagements during the period of Harry's visit.
Representatives for the duchy and Buckingham Palace did not provide further details about the meeting beyond confirming that it had taken place. Harry's spokesperson emphasized the mix of private family time and public charity work that marked the trip and framed the visit as an opportunity for the duke to support causes important to him while reconnecting with friends and colleagues in the U.K.