Prince Harry and Meghan are likely to meet King Charles when they return to the UK next month. Royal sources have indicated that similar arrangements are expected as when the Duke of Sussex has visited Britain alone in recent years. Harry is scheduled to travel to the UK in the first week of July to attend a one-year countdown event for the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham on Friday, July 10.
Family Visit After Four Years
It emerged this week that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will bring their children Archie and Lilibet with them, marking the family's first visit to the UK in four years. Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, last saw their grandfather King Charles in person during Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022.
Harry previously expressed hopes of bringing his children from the US but insisted it was too dangerous amid his legal battle over UK security. The Duke has been involved in a protracted dispute with the British government over the decision to strip him of taxpayer-funded security after he and Meghan quit their royal roles in 2020.
Security Assurances
After losing a case at the High Court and a subsequent hearing at the Court of Appeal, Harry personally wrote to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to request a review. Contrary to reports, the King is not involved and has not offered to pay for Harry's security. It is understood that the Duke and Duchess have been assured adequate security will be in place for their upcoming trip.
The Metropolitan Police has consistently stated that any visit by Harry would be treated on a case-by-case basis, and with adequate notice, he may qualify for taxpayer-funded police protection.
Accommodation Offer and Potential Meeting
Harry and Meghan have been offered accommodation at a royal residence, but they have not yet responded. The trip comes after Harry reunited with Charles, who is still undergoing cancer treatment, last September for the first time in 19 months. Sources have revealed that the King is likely to meet Harry, Meghan, and the children if a request is made from the Sussexes.
A royal source said: “Any meeting between Harry and Meghan and the King would represent a huge thawing of relations. Despite everything that has occurred in recent years, the King loves his son and daughter-in-law dearly and would relish the chance to see his grandchildren.”
Strained Relations with William and Kate
It is not known whether Harry and Meghan plan to see the Prince and Princess of Wales. Sources have described their relationship as “rock bottom.” One palace insider said: “The Prince and Princess of Wales remain deeply hurt by Harry and Meghan’s comments since leaving their royal duties that they were abandoned and mistreated.”
Harry and Meghan accused the royal family of racism during an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021. Harry also used his memoir Spare to criticize family members, including calling the King an “old man,” labeling Queen Camilla a “wicked stepmother,” and accusing his brother William of assaulting him. Sources close to William have vehemently denied any violent altercation.
Invictus Games Event
Meghan, 44, will join Harry on stage at the Invictus event in Birmingham on July 10. Harry also has several other engagements planned with UK charities during the week. The couple are unlikely to take their children to public events, having fiercely protected their privacy. In recent years, they have started sharing partial images of their children on Meghan's Instagram page.
When the duke lost a Court of Appeal challenge against the Home Office over his security in 2025, he gave a BBC interview expressing hopes of reconciliation, revealing that Charles would not speak to him because of the court battle. Harry added he “can’t see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the UK.”
Harry, who stepped down from the working monarchy in 2020, has leveled a barrage of accusations at the King, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Princess Kate in his Oprah interview, Netflix documentary, interviews, and autobiography. He previously claimed Charles was jealous of Meghan and Kate, did not hug him when told of his mother's death, and said he believed the King was “never made” for single parenthood.
Charles, according to the duke, pleaded with his sons after the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral: “Please, boys. Don’t make my final years a misery.” Harry remains estranged from his brother. The Invictus Games for wounded, injured, and sick service personnel and veterans will be staged in Birmingham next year from July 10-17. Harry and Meghan’s spokesperson has yet to comment.
