Prince Harry arrived back in the UK this afternoon (7 May) to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games.
The fifth in line to the throne, 39, has not been in the country since February when he met with his father, King Charles, for a flying visit following the monarch’s cancer diagnosis.
Harry is scheduled to give a speech tomorrow (8 May) to mark the anniversary of the games he founded in 2014 at a thanksgiving ceremony in St Paul’s Cathedral.
His arrival was announced by royal editor Chris Ship on Twitter (X), who revealed Harry will also be attending some Invictus-related events today.
The Duke was not accompanied by his wife Meghan Markle, 42, or their children, Archie and Lilibet. It is also understood that none of Harry’s immediate family will attend the ceremony tomorrow.
The Prince’s return comes amid a tumultuous time for the royal family, who have been plagued by health troubles this year.
But the situation appears to be changing for the better and it was announced this morning that Sarah Ferguson has been given the all-clear from skin cancer.
Key Points
Prince Harry back on British soil
Harry will not stay at Buckingham Palace
Royal expert says it’s “unlikely” Prince Harry will see William and Kate on trip
Harry and Meghan’s popularity revealed in new poll
Prince Harry’s US visa under review after drug use revelations
King Charles “so pleased” about health in new update
Queen Camilla opens library as Prince Harry arrives back in the UK
14:43 , Emma Guinness
Queen Camilla has had a busy afternoon opening a new Coronation Library in London.
Located at Moreland Primary School, the new facility was transformed in the year since King Charles’s coronation by the National Literacy Trust, of which the Queen Consort is a patron.
Prince Harry, meanwhile, is attending Invictus Games-related events after arriving back in London this afternoon for the 10th anniversary of the event.
Royal expert on ‘telling sign’ Prince Harry will be alone at tomorrow’s event
14:00 , Emma Guinness
A royal expert has opened up about the ‘telling sign’ Prince Harry will be alone at his first public-facing event in some time.
The Duke of Sussex is set to give a thanksgiving speech at a ceremony celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games and it is believed he will not be joined by any members of the royal family.
He will also be without the support of his wife Meghan Markle and their two children, who remain in the US.
The games, which celebrates the sporting abilities of wounded, sick or injured veterans, was founded by the fifth in line to the throne back in 2015.
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond said: “He’s here to celebrate the Invictus Games… and rightly so, it is a great achievement.
“But how telling it will be to see him there without a single member of the royal family present to salute his achievement. It will be a graphic illustration of what he has done to the family he still professes to love.”
Reconciliation between Harry and William unlikely “for the forseeable future”
13:50 , Emma Guinness
A reconciliation between Prince Harry and Prince William is unlikely to happen in “the foreseeable future”, a royal expert has claimed.
The fifth in line to the throne returned to the UK from California today (7 May) for the first time since February to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games.
He is expected to give a thanksgiving speech at a ceremony in St Paul’s Cathedral in London, which organisers have said won’t be attended by other members of the royal family.
Former BBC royal correspondent Michael Cole said: “After so much bad blood, it is very difficult indeed to see any sort of reconciliation between the Sussexes and the Royal Family happening [this] week – or for the foreseeable future.”
Prince William was invited to Harry’s event tomorrow
13:32 , Emma Guinness
A source has claimed that Prince William and other members of the royal family were invited to Prince Harry’s Invictus Games event tomorrow.
As reported by Page Six, none of the family are expected to attend the thanksgiving service at St Paul’s Cathedral in London, which celebrates the 10th anniversary of the sporting event founded by the Duke.
The Prince is reported to be spending the evening in a London hotel after attending other Invictus-related events today.
Meghan Markle given “rare honour” before leaving royal family
13:20 , Emma Guinness
Meghan Markle was reportedly given a “rare honour” ahead of her and Prince Harry’s decision to step down as working royals in 2020.
BBC royal correspondent Micheal Cole said that before the Sussex’s relationship with the royals went “badly wrong”, the firm did everything they could to welcome the former actress into their family.
“It was a rare honour when the King offered to walk her down the aisle because her father, Thomas, is estranged from her, as are most members of her family,” he told Good Morning America. “That was a great honour, and the late Queen went out of her way to make a friend of Doria, her mother.
“It’s really hard to puzzle where it all went so badly wrong. She could not have been welcomed more into this country or the Royal Family.”
Prince Harry officially back in the UK
13:18 , Emma Guinness
Prince Harry has officially arrived back in the UK for the first time since February.
The Duke of Sussex, 39, is here to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, which he founded back in 2014. The event celebrates the sporting abilities of wounded, injured and sick service people.
The Prince’s arrival was announced by ITV News’s royal editor, Chris Ship, on Twitter (X) this afternoon.
Ship wrote: “[Harry] landed here ahead of his St Paul’s Cathedral service tomorrow to mark 10 years of the @WeAreInvictus which he founded in 2014. He’s doing some Invictus related events today.”
NEW: Prince Harry is in the UK 🇬🇧
He landed here ahead of his St Paul’s Cathedral service tomorrow to mark 10 years of the @WeAreInvictus which he founded in 2014.
He’s doing some Invictus related events today. pic.twitter.com/d70F0uq4N2— Chris Ship (@chrisshipitv) May 7, 2024
King Charles “so pleased” about health in new update
13:00 , Emma Guinness
King Charles is reportedly “so pleased” about the progress he is making on his cancer journey.
The revelation was made by Penny Mordaunt, the Lord President of the Privy Council, 51, who regularly meets with the King as part of her work.
Her comments come after the King returned to duty last Tuesday (1 May) after taking a step back following news of illness breaking in February.
“I think people won’t be surprised to know that he’s completely charming and always calm,” Mourdant told GB News.
“And he’s also got a really good sense of humour as well. But he’s always asking about how things are going, particularly issues that we’re dealing with in Parliament or about particular groups who he knows that are having a rough time.
“He’s always asking after those people, so he cares a great deal and he’s a delight to work with.
“He’s very good. And I know that he would have been so pleased to get back to public duties. He would have missed it tremendously.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s popularity revealed in new poll
12:40 , Emma Guinness
A new poll from The Independent has found that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are viewed as “strongly favourable” by just nine per cent of British people.
The poll found that Harry, 39, was seen in a favourable light by 29 per cent of respondents while just 25 per cent had a favourable opinion of the Duchess of Sussex, 42.
Prince William and Kate Middleton emerged as the UK’s favourite royals in the poll, with Kate, 42, beating William, 41, by a hair’s breadth.
The Princess was given a favourability rating of 62 per cent while her husband was seen as favourable by 61 per cent of respondents.
A further 36 per cent of people said they saw Kate as “strongly favourable” and 34 per cent of those surveyed put the future king into this category too.
King Charles’s sweet birthday present for Archie
12:20 , Emma Guinness
King Charles reportedly sent Prince Harry’s eldest son Archie a sweet present for his fifth birthday.
The youngster turned five yesterday (6 May) and royal expert Tom Quinn speculated about the simple gift he would receive from the Monarch – a card and present.
“There has even been talk that he will send one of his own watercolour paintings to Archie as a present as Meghan loves homemade gifts and dislikes extravagant expensive presents,” Quinn told The Mirror.
Prince Archie is currently sixth in line to the throne after his father.
Royal expert says Prince Harry should be ‘guest of honour’
12:00 , Emma Guinness
A royal expert has said Prince Harry should be a “guest of honour” as he returns to the UK for the first time since February.
Mark Dolan said the Prince’s visit, which is to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, presents an opportunity for the family to “find a way back for Harry”.
The royal expert believes that the Prince’s strained relationship with his family could begin to be repaired if they make him a “guest of honour” on this week’s trip.
“In families as in friendships, I think you should have forgiveness. I think Harry should be staying at Buckingham Palace,” Dolan said.
“He should be a guest of honour. He should have more than a blink and you will miss it with his father, who let’s not forget is battling cancer.”
Prince Harry’s US visa under review
11:40 , Emma Guinness
Prince Harry’s return to the UK comes amid an ongoing review of his US visa following revelations about past drug use in his 2023 memoir Spare.
An investigation was launched by a think tank group after the Prince, 39, admitted to using a range of substances, some as recently as 2016.
His application is now being reviewed in private to ascertain whether or not he lied about his usage.
Following the private review, a decision will be taken about whether or not to make the documents public.
Harry wrote: “Psychedelics did me some good as well. I’d experimented with them over the years, for fun, but now I’d begun to use them therapeutically, medicinally. They didn’t simply allow me to escape reality for a while.”
Sarah Ferguson “thriving”after getting the all clear from cancer
11:20 , Emma Guinness
Sarah Ferguson is said to be “thriving” after finally getting the all-clear from cancer.
The Duchess of York, 64, shared her good news via her daughter, Princess Beatrice, 35, who praised her mum today (7 May) on this morning for the resilience she showed during her cancer battle.
“She’s such a phenomenal icon. As a mum, she’s been amazing. She’s been through so much and her sense of purpose and resilience really keeps me going,” Beatrice said.
Fergie was diagnosed with skin cancer after undergoing reconstructive surgery following a mastectomy to treat the breast cancer she was diagnosed with last summer.
Announcing her second cancer diagnosis in January, she thanked the public for their well wishes and said she remained in “good spirits”.
“Naturally another cancer diagnosis has been a shock, but I’m in good spirits and grateful for the many messages of love and support,” she wrote on Instagram at the time.
Harry and Meghan’s good wishes for Kate
10:54 , Emma Guinness
The Duke of Sussex has never made a secret of his disdain for the press and this was reflected in the statement he and Meghan Markle issued after Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis.
“We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace,” the couple said.
According to reports, despite living in California, when Prince Harry learned of the King’s cancer diagnosis, he immediately jumped on a plane to visit his father.
“I jumped on a plane and went to go see him as soon as I could,” Harry told Good Morning America at the time. “I love my family.”
Prince Harry will not stay at Buckingham Palace on trip
10:48 , Emma Guinness
Prince Harry will stay at a hotel when he returns to the UK and not a royal residence despite being fifth in line to the throne.
This has been customary for the Duke of Sussex since he stepped down as a senior working royal with his wife Meghan Markle in 2020.
The Prince’s last official residence was Frogmore Cottage in Windsor.
Following the couple’s decision to step down as working royals, they repaid the £2.5m of public funds spent on its renovation.
The annual Sovereign Grant report from 2023 showed that the property remains vacant.
Prince Harry’s first visit since Kate’s cancer diagnosis
10:39 , Emma Guinness
Prince Harry’s imminent return to the UK will be his first time stepping on British soil since Kate Middleton announced her cancer diagnosis in March.
It is not known whether Harry, 39, who was previously close to the Princess of Wales, 42, has plans to meet her on this trip, but royal expert Ingrid Seward said it is “unlikely”.
“If the King asks, she will do it,” Seward told The Mirror, “but Charles being the sensitive and understanding soul he is, would be unlikely to ask such a favor from his adored daughter-in-law.
“The time must be right, and it is not right now.”
Seward also said that a meeting with his estranged brother would likely be the last thing Prince William, 41, wants at this difficult time for his family.
“William has enough going on and doesn’t need the stress,” the royal expert said. “But he might realise Harry will want to see Kate after her cancer diagnosis as they were once so close.”
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