The Duke of Sussex met with King Charles III for a private tea at the monarch's residence on Wednesday, marking their first face-to-face meeting in over 18 months. Prince Harry arrived at 5:20pm in a black Range Rover and departed after approximately one hour to attend an Invictus Games event in London.
This visit is Harry's first to the UK in five months, following a court hearing regarding his legal challenge against the Home Office over changes to his state-funded security. After losing that case, he told the BBC that his father was not speaking to him. During this trip, he has not seen his brother, the Prince of Wales, and no plans for a meeting are expected.
The Duke has been engaged in multiple legal battles against UK newspapers, securing a victory over the publishers of The Daily Mirror and recently receiving an apology and settlement from the publishers of The Sun. His relationship with his family has been strained since he and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped back as senior royals in 2020 and moved to California.
Historical tensions include claims in Harry's memoir, Spare, that King Charles first called him the 'spare' and that he was asked by William to act as if they did not know each other at Eton. The brothers have also had physical altercations, as detailed in the book. Despite past closeness, including Harry serving as best man at William's wedding, the rift has deepened over time.
The private tea with the King may signal a potential thaw in relations, but it remains unclear if this marks the start of a new era for the royal family.
