Prince Harry is set to return to Britain this week, fuelling speculation that he might meet his father, King Charles, for the first time in nearly 20 months, a move royal watchers say could signal tentative steps toward reconciliation.
On Monday, the Duke of Sussex will attend the WellChild Awards, an annual charity event supporting seriously ill children. The date also coincides with the third anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death, adding symbolic weight to his visit.
The trip has sparked renewed debate among commentators over the prospect of a meeting with the 76-year-old monarch.
“There is talk, growing talk, that he might well meet up with his father,” said Simon Perry, royal correspondent for People magazine. “I think with any time Prince Harry comes close or relatively close to his father, and they can be in the same country, there’s going to be talk that they might well get together.”
Buckingham Palace declined to comment, citing its policy of not discussing private family matters. A spokesperson for Harry also declined to comment.
The prince last saw his father in February 2023, shortly after Buckingham Palace revealed the king was undergoing treatment for cancer. Relations between Harry, 40, and the royal family have been strained since he and his wife Meghan stepped down from royal duties in 2020 and moved to California.
In the years since, Harry has been outspoken in interviews, documentaries, and his memoir Spare, in which he made sharp criticisms of both Charles and his elder brother, Prince William.
However, the Duke of Sussex has recently expressed his wish for reconciliation.
“Of course some members of my family will never forgive me for writing a book,” Harry said in a BBC interview in May after losing a legal battle over his security arrangements. “But you know … I would love reconciliation with my family. There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore. And life is precious.”
“I don’t know how much longer my father has. He won’t speak to me because of this security stuff, but it would be nice to reconcile,” he added.
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In July, reports emerged of a secret meeting in London involving King Charles’s communications chief and Harry’s media representatives, which newspapers suggested could be an initial step towards mending ties.
“I think it’s important for the image of the monarchy that the king and his younger son are seen to be on speaking terms,” historian Anthony Seldon told Reuters. “I also think it’s very important for both of them … the king is the king, but he’s also a human being and a loving father.”
Despite hopes for reconciliation, Harry is not expected to meet Prince William during his visit, with British media reporting that the Prince of Wales is not yet ready to resolve his differences with his younger brother.
