Prince Harry and the King have taken ‘baby steps’ towards mending their relationship, insiders have claimed.
Relations between the Duke of Sussex and the monarch are reported to have been at a drastic low since the release of Spare, Harry’s tell-all memoir. However, a gesture toward peace came in November, when Harry telephoned his father to wish him happy birthday. Reportedly, Meghan also spoke to the King and the couple shared a video of Archie and Lilibet singing him happy birthday.
Then, after the shocking news of King Charles’s cancer diagnosis, the Duke elected to travel back to the UK in order to be with his father. It heralded the first in person contact between the two since September 2022 and the funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Prince Harry later spoke of the reunion on Good Morning America, revealing how he was keen to see his father after learning of the diagnosis.
He said, ‘I spoke to him. I jumped on a plane and went to go see him as soon as I could. Look, I love my family. The fact that I was able to get on a plane and go and see him and spend any time with him, I’m grateful for that.’
Now, palace insiders have claimed the meeting was a positive move forward in their relationship - with sources telling People it was a ‘baby step’ towards mending previous fractures.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were spotted looking upbeat as they spent the evening at Soho House Austin
It’s far from the first sign that relations could be thawing between the father and son.
In the notorious Oprah interview of March 2021, Harry said, ‘I will always love [Charles]. There's a lot of hurt that’s happened. I will continue to make it one of my priorities to heal that relationship.’
The signs of that enduring bond have become increasingly evident under the strain of recent weeks, which no doubt have sharpened the mind and offered perspective on what matters in life. The King, 75, is said to also harbour an openness to a reconciliation; and it is said that he is keen to see more of his son. A royal source told The Times: ‘On all practical levels it makes perfect sense for the family to come together to support the King while he’s sick. Much has been said on both sides in recent years, but that has never diminished the fundamental bond of blood, and there are now pragmatic aspects to consider, with the King and Kate’s wellbeing paramount in this.’
‘The details of the Clarence House meeting and subsequent conversations are private, but the feeling is that this arrangement could work.’
In an interview with Good Morning America, Prince Harry expressed that he loved his family and said he was ‘grateful’ to be able to visit the King last week. So, will we be seeing more of the faraway Prince?
Broadly, it is understood that the King feels that a rapprochement would ‘benefit the institution’. The meeting at Clarence House was obviously brief and did not offer the scope for a proper discussion. Some reports have it that Prince Harry is keen to offer his help in a limited return to a role as a working royal. Whilst it is easy to imagine the son offering the father his help in picking up work during his illness, it may not all be quite so simple.
The late Queen made it clear that the Sussexes would not be able to enjoy a ‘half in half out’ approach to royal life. When they officially stepped down four years ago, they were informed that the model they had pitched – in which they would offer the monarch limited support without drawing from the sovereign grant – was not workable. Instead, under the Sandringham Agreement, they were allowed to keep their titles but required to relinquish their official roles.
For now, at least, it appears Harry and Charles are at least taking steps forward to smooth over their own relationship.
