A potential visit to the United States by King Charles next year is set to place him in the same country as his estranged son, Prince Harry, but hopes for a family reunion appear slim. This development marks a fresh chapter in the ongoing royal rift, with the monarch's official duties taking clear precedence.
A Father and Son Divided
The relationship between Prince Harry and his father has been under intense scrutiny for years. Their first face-to-face meeting in 18 months occurred earlier this year, a 55-minute meeting at Clarence House in September while Harry was in the UK. This brief encounter came after a period where Harry claimed his father was no longer speaking to him, a situation exacerbated by Harry's court case against the UK Home Office concerning his security arrangements, which he ultimately lost.
Several months on from that tea-time meeting, the question of a follow-up remains unanswered. While the King has met his grandson, Prince Archie, a handful of times, he has seen his granddaughter, Princess Lilibet, only once, highlighting the physical and emotional distance within the family.
A Royal Tour with No Room for Family Time
Reports from sources in both Washington DC and London suggest that King Charles and Queen Camilla are planning a state visit to the USA. The trip, tentatively scheduled for late April 2025, is contingent on the King's health allowing him to travel. A central part of the proposed itinerary is a visit to the White House to mark a string of historic events leading up to the 250-year anniversary of the founding of the United States.
However, despite the potential for close proximity—Harry lives in California with his wife Meghan and their children—a meeting is considered highly improbable. Royal expert Jennie Bond, a former BBC royal correspondent, explained the logistical and diplomatic hurdles. "State visits are incredibly busy," she stated. "The schedule is worked out months in advance and is tightly packed with carefully curated engagements designed to enhance bilateral relations."
Bond elaborated that there is very little downtime during such official tours and doubted the King would fly across the entire country to California. She also noted that a meeting with the Sussexes would inevitably draw headlines away from the purpose of the visit, which is to strengthen UK-US relations.
The Long Shot for a Grandchild Reunion
While a formal meeting seems off the table, Jennie Bond conceded that King Charles would undoubtedly be desperate to see his grandchildren again. She suggested the only conceivable chance for a reunion would be if Harry and Meghan made the effort to travel to wherever the King and Queen are based, such as New York, for a brief encounter.
Nevertheless, Bond emphasised that state visits are "about as official as it can get, and it’s really not a time for patching up severely strained family relationships." She concluded that it is an "extremely long shot" for them to meet in the States, and it is far more likely that the Sussex family will be encouraged to keep a low profile during the high-profile trip.
This potential state visit follows the monarch's successful hosting of US President Donald Trump in the UK just months prior, where the President described the welcome as the "highest honour" of his life.
