Prince Harry and King Charles III may be edging closer to reconciliation after more than a year of estrangement.
On 10 September, the Duke of Sussex was seen arriving by car at Clarence House, the King’s London residence, for a private tea with his father.
It was the first time in 19 months that the pair had been publicly observed together. Harry, 40, arrived at around 5:20 p.m. local time, shortly after Charles, 76, had returned home from another engagement.
The reunion follows months of tentative signs of thawing relations. In July, Harry’s chief communications officer, Meredith Maines, was spotted meeting with the King’s communications secretary, Tobyn Andrae, in London. That encounter prompted speculation that behind-the-scenes discussions were under way to ease the rift.
Harry has previously voiced hope that he and his father could reconcile, particularly as the King continues treatment for cancer. Speaking to the BBC in May, Harry acknowledged that deep differences remained but insisted the main obstacle was the unresolved dispute over security arrangements for himself, Meghan Markle, and their children.
“There have been so many disagreements, differences between me and some of my family,” he said at the time. “This current situation that has been ongoing for five years with regard to human life and safety is the sticking point. It is the only thing that’s left.”
The Duke, who stepped down from royal duties in 2020, has long argued that his family is at risk without adequate police protection in the UK. He has accused the government of stripping away safeguards he considers essential.
Adding to the tension is Harry’s 2023 memoir Spare, which contained unflattering revelations about members of the royal family. “Some members of my family will never forgive me for writing a book,” he admitted earlier this year. “Of course, they will never forgive me for lots of things.”
Yet Harry also pointed out that much of the impasse could be resolved by his father. “There is a lot of control and ability in my father’s hands,” he said. “Ultimately, this whole thing could be resolved through him, not necessarily by intervening, but by stepping aside, allowing the experts to do what is necessary.”
