King Charles has wrapped up his whirlwind trip to the United States, where he and Queen Camilla attended back-to-back engagements in Washington DC, Virginia, and New York over four days. While it was the monarch's first visit to America in many years, he did not travel to the West Coast to see his estranged son Prince Harry or his grandchildren Archie and Lilibet.
Harry's relationship with his father remains strained, as the pair have only seen each other a handful of times in recent years. Their last face-to-face meeting was in September last year, when the Duke of Sussex was in London for the annual WellChild awards.
No Surprise, But Surreal Experience
It had been established months before Charles embarked on his US trip that he would not have a chance to see his son, daughter-in-law Meghan Markle, or their children during the state visit. However, former BBC royal commentator Jennie Bond believes Harry would have had conflicting feelings while watching the King's highly publicised trip in the country he has called home for over six years.
Jennie told the Mirror: 'I don't think it would have been any surprise to Harry that there was no opportunity to see his father during the state visit. But it must have been a rather surreal experience to watch his dad being feted in the country which is now Harry's home, and yet not to see him.'
'Of course, in reality, they were still thousands of miles apart, and the two of them have not even met when they've been within a mile of one another in London. So it was never going to happen.'
Possibility of Reconciliation Behind Closed Doors
The royal expert believes that there is still a possibility for the father and son to mend their relationship, but it would likely happen behind closed doors as they build bridges after years of estrangement. 'Their relationship is still strained, and if and when a further meeting happens, I'm sure it won't be in such a public arena as this exceptionally high profile visit,' Jennie explained.
While Harry has not been a working royal since 2020, he and his father share many interests and passions, as both carry out similar charity work. However, Jennie believes that Harry watching his father carry out such philanthropic work in his home country may have felt surreal.
Conflicted Feelings Over Trump Visit
She said: 'Harry is on record as saying he believes his father and brother are trapped in their royal existence. And, only last week, he said how important it was to have the right to hold truth to power and to say what he believes. So he may have felt rather conflicted watching the King in action.'
'On the one hand, he probably felt that the President didn't deserve all the reflected glory of having the King and Queen at the White House. But I think he would've been quietly proud of the way Charles skilfully delivered some quite pointed and political ripostes to the things Trump has been saying.'
'Harry stands united with his father on the need to support Ukraine, for example. And he would have appreciated his father's nuanced putdown of Trump's insults about British service men and women and our naval power.'
Trump's Insults Further Antagonise Sussexes
During the visit, President Trump did not miss the opportunity to sling an insult at Meghan Markle—with whom he has been engaged in a war of words online for several years, as well as Harry—and Jennie believes this dig would have only further solidified Harry's desire to not be a part of the Royal Family.
Jennie said: 'Of course, outside the immediate environs of the visit, it has offered Trump the opportunity to sling a few more insults in the Sussex's direction—particularly at Meghan. And that will have further antagonised the couple.'
'So, whilst the visit has undoubtedly gone some way to improving relations between the United States and the UK, it has done nothing to help the relationship between the President and Harry and Meghan.'
