Prince Harry will return to the United Kingdom this week to attend the WellChild Awards, his first extended visit since 2022, and is said to be "really positive" and "so excited" about the trip, according to people close to him. Reports say a private meeting with his father, King Charles III, is not ruled out, though no time or location has been confirmed.
The Duke of Sussex, 40, is scheduled to spend four days in the UK beginning with the WellChild Awards on Monday, an event he has patronized for 17 years. A source quoted by Hello Magazine told the Daily Mail that Harry is in a "really good headspace" and is looking forward to meeting patronage contacts and focusing on charitable causes.
WellChild, which supports children with serious health needs and their families, said the duke would attend the ceremony for the 15th time. In a statement carried by the charity, Harry said he was "always privileged to attend the WellChild Awards" and praised the resilience of young people and the work of caregivers and professionals.
The visit will include a stop in Nottingham, where Harry is expected to visit the Community Recording Studio in St. Ann's and announce a donation to Children in Need, the Daily Mail reported. The trip is not expected to include the duchess or the couple's two children; Meghan, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet are reported to remain in Montecito, California.
Daily Mail coverage said a meeting between Harry and King Charles remained possible. The newspaper quoted a source saying that an invitation to meet would be kept close by the king's private secretary and the principal parties, and that Harry "would drop everything" to attend should one be extended. There has been no official confirmation from Buckingham Palace.
King Charles is currently at Balmoral in Scotland but is set to be in London mid-week for ongoing cancer treatment, according to the reporting. The king and the duke last met in February 2024 for a 30-minute conversation after the monarch disclosed his cancer diagnosis.
Harry's trip follows several months of high-profile legal and security disputes. He travelled to the UK in April for a High Court hearing over his security arrangements and lost a Court of Appeal challenge in May. In interviews since, the duke has said he struggles to see a return to the UK with his family under current arrangements, though friends have told outlets he has not given up on the idea of bringing his children to see where he grew up.
The WellChild Awards ceremony falls on Sept. 8, the third anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's death, and the event recognises seriously ill young people and the professionals who support them at home and in the community. WellChild's chief executive, Matt James, said the awards provide an opportunity to "recognise and celebrate the resilience" of children and their support networks.
Harry’s visit is his longest to the UK since attending the late queen's funeral in 2022. It comes ahead of a planned state visit to Britain by U.S. President Donald Trump and his wife Melania, due to be hosted by the king from Sept. 17. The duke’s programme, as reported, centres on his patronages and charitable work rather than public royal duties.
Representatives for Prince Harry and Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to requests for comment through the publication cited in the initial reporting. The duke’s appearance at WellChild continues a pattern of personal involvement with the charity that he has maintained over two decades.