King Charles should be seen to support one event led by his own son, Prince Harry, a royal expert has claimed. Speaking to The Royal Observer, Afua Hagan said: “I think for King Charles to lend his support to the Invictus Games would be brilliant. Also, he'll be a father supporting his son in a very worthwhile endeavour.”
Possible public reunion
The Mirror reported that Prince Harry could be hoping for a public reunion with the King at next year's Invictus Games. If the monarch were to accept an invitation to appear at the event in Birmingham next summer, it could pave the way for him and his estranged son to appear in public together for the first time in years.
The Mirror reports that the organisers of the Invictus Games plan to invite King Charles to either the opening or the closing ceremony. The event will take place in Birmingham from July 10 to July 17, 2027.
Expert's view
Hagan says it would be “awkward” if no invitation were to be given to the King, as the large event will be taking place in the UK. The Invictus Games is an international multi-sport event to support wounded, injured and sick military service personnel.
King Charles holds a constitutional role as head of the UK military. With this in mind, Hagan adds: “King Charles is the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, and of course there are so many wounded veterans. And [it’s] absolutely in line with what he already does.”
History of public appearances
The last time King Charles and Prince Harry spent time together in public at the late Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in September 2022. Before this, they were seen celebrating the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in the summer of 2022.
Harry also attended his father’s coronation in May 2023 but did not take part in any public events. He returned to the UK for just 24 hours from his home in California to mark the occasion.
More recently, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, along with their two children, were hosted by King Charles and Queen Camilla at Highgrove House. The private meeting took place in July when the Sussexes returned to the UK for a five-day trip to mark the one-year countdown to the Invictus Games.
