Prince Harry is due to return to the United Kingdom for the WellChild Awards and a series of patronage engagements, and said he is feeling "really positive" and "so excited" about the visit, according to a person quoted by a British tabloid. Reports said a meeting with King Charles is possible but no confirmed plan has been announced.
The Duke of Sussex, 40, will attend the WellChild Awards on Monday as part of a reported four-day visit during which he will also travel to Nottingham to visit community projects. A source speaking to Hello magazine told the Daily Mail that Harry was "in a really good headspace" and was "really looking forward to seeing everyone from his patronages face to face and focusing on the causes".
The Daily Mail reported that a meeting between Harry and his father, King Charles, is "not off the table" but emphasised that, if any appointment were to be arranged, the details would be held closely by royal aides. The king is spending time at Balmoral in Scotland and is also scheduled to be in London mid-week for cancer treatment; the two being in the capital on the same day has prompted attention over whether they might meet. There has been no official confirmation from Buckingham Palace or Harry's office.
Harry is not expected to be accompanied by his wife, Meghan, or their children, who remain at the family's home in Montecito, California, the reports said. The trip is described as his longest visit to the UK since he returned for Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in 2022 and follows a shorter visit in April for a High Court hearing related to his security arrangements.
The duke has regularly attended the WellChild Awards as patron and issued a statement in advance of this year's ceremony saying he was "privileged" to meet the children, families and professionals who are recognised by the charity. The awards, now in their 20th year, celebrate the achievements of children living with complex health needs and the care provided by families and professionals.
WellChild's chief executive, Matt James, said the awards offer an opportunity to "recognise and celebrate the resilience of these remarkable children and young people and the commitment of those around them". The ceremony falls on the third anniversary of the late queen's death.
The Daily Mail's coverage also said Harry will visit the Community Recording Studio in Nottingham and will announce a "substantial" donation to Children In Need. The newspaper attributed several personal remarks to friends and unnamed sources; those comments were not independently verified by palace officials.
Harry, who stepped back from senior royal duties and moved to the United States with Meghan in 2020, has made relatively few visits to the UK since. In May he lost an appeal over taxpayer-funded security while in the UK; shortly afterwards he told the BBC he could not see a time when he would bring his wife and children back to Britain. He has said in public that he misses the UK.
The duke last met the king in February 2024, when they held a 30-minute conversation after the monarch disclosed his cancer diagnosis. Relations between Harry and other senior working members of the royal family have been described as strained in public reporting, and there has been no public confirmation of any private plans to resolve outstanding tensions.
Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the trip or the reports of a possible meeting. Representatives for Harry and WellChild provided the statements attributed to them in press materials circulated ahead of the awards.
The WellChild Awards ceremony will include a pre-ceremony reception during which winners and their families meet patrons and guests; the duke is expected to present an award to an inspirational child. The event typically attracts public figures and entertainers and is designed to highlight the needs of children requiring complex medical care and the networks of support around them.
The duke's visit comes ahead of major events in London later this month, including a state visit by the President of the United States. It also follows waves of media and public attention on security, family dynamics and the limits of public funding for protection of members of the royal family living overseas.
Any meeting between the duke and the king, if it takes place, would be the first reported in more than a year. Officials and aides with direct knowledge of the king's and the duke's schedules have not publicly disclosed a window of time for such a meeting.