Prince Harry's mood ahead of his private reunion with King Charles has been revealed, after a royal expert shared details of the Duke of Sussex's demeanour before the highly anticipated family meeting. The gathering at Highgrove took place away from public view, with no official photographs released. But details have since emerged about Harry's attitude in the lead-up to the visit and his reaction afterwards.
Reunion Details Emerge
The reunion saw Charles spend time with Meghan and Harry's children, Archie and Lilibet, at his Gloucestershire home after days of speculation over whether the family meeting would happen. The siblings had not seen their grandfather in person since Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022. It is also understood Queen Camilla, who has a private residence close to Highgrove, was present for the occasion.
The meeting between the King and his grandchildren is likely to be viewed as a potential sign of improving relations between Charles and his youngest son, following years of tension within the Royal Family.
Harry's Upbeat Demeanour
Speaking on The Royals with Roya and Kate podcast, royal editor Roya Nikkhah revealed she noticed a change in Harry's mood while he attended an Invictus Games engagement at Birmingham's NEC on the Friday before the reunion. She said Harry appeared particularly upbeat despite knowing the family meeting was due to take place the following day.
She said: "What was interesting, I thought, was his demeanor when he was at Birmingham on Friday, when he clearly knew this meeting was going to happen. He was going to go from the NEC to Warwickshire. He seemed, and people who saw him there were like, he was pretty buzzing. He always is with Invictus, but he really was."
Positive Outcome
Roya later said she spoke to someone from Harry's team after the Highgrove visit, who indicated the details of the meeting had been kept private. "There was no leaking of what happened. There was no emotional response like we have had previously from Harry when he comes out to a meeting and says, 'I don't know how much longer my father's got,'" she said. Instead, she said Harry had appeared to come away from the reunion feeling positive.
Roya added: "So he was clearly delighted that it took place, regardless of all the drama and all the fighting between him and his family and his father. I think there is something about Harry being able to reintroduce his children, who've not seen their grandfather for four years."
Significance of Time Passed
Podcast co-host Kate Mansey highlighted the significance of the time that had passed since the Sussex children last met the King. She said: "Four years have gone by. A lot has been said from Montecito about the King, about Camilla, about the rest of the family. It would not have been an easy meeting."
The relationship between Harry and Charles has been strained since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from royal duties in 2020. The couple later made a series of public claims about the Royal Family through interviews, their Netflix documentary and Harry's memoir Spare. Harry's relationship with his brother, the Prince of Wales, remains difficult, with William attending a charity polo match at Windsor on the same afternoon as the Highgrove reunion.
Context of Reconciliation
The visit also followed Harry's brief trip to Britain in February 2024, when he travelled from California after Charles revealed his cancer diagnosis. That meeting was widely seen as an early step towards repairing their relationship. Harry had hoped Meghan and their children would join him during a week of UK engagements supporting causes close to him, including the Invictus Games. Although security concerns prevented them from travelling together initially, arrangements were later made for the family reunion at Highgrove to take place.
