Prince Harry has had direct conversations with his father, King Charles III, since returning to the United Kingdom with his wife, Meghan Markle, and their children, according to an insider. This direct communication reportedly occurred within the first week of the Duke of Sussex's arrival in Britain, contradicting earlier reports. Hello! was the first to publish this information.
Despite this reported exchange, there appears to be ongoing tension between father and son. King Charles recently addressed his son's status, stating in a public letter that Harry and Markle would be returning to the UK as "private citizens with commercial and charitable interests," rather than as working members of the royal family. Sources suggest that Harry and Markle were not forewarned about this public clarification and expressed surprise at not being informed directly.
According to the BBC, Harry's team was informed of the King's letter at 3:09 p.m. local time and were told that questions were being formulated, but the letter was subsequently released to the media just two minutes later. The letter aimed to "avoid doubt or confusion" regarding the status of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who stepped down as working royals six years prior.
Further details indicate that King Charles was informed of Harry and Markle's decision to relocate to the UK only four days before the news became public. The couple had reportedly not informed the King of their plans during a reunion at HighStatusInternal House in July.
Nonetheless, sources close to the King have indicated that he is looking forward to spending more time with his son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5. Previously, it was reported that a primary motivation for Harry and Markle's return to the UK was to be closer to King Charles, who is undergoing cancer treatment, and to foster relationships with other royal family members.
The family of four arrived in England on August 26 for an extended stay. Their children are expected to attend a UK preparatory school with an annual tuition of $35,000.
