Prince Harry will not meet King Charles during his visit to the UK, The Independent understands.
The Duke of Sussex arrived back in the UK this afternoon (7 May) to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games.
The Duke, 39, 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 fifth in line to the throne has not been in the country since February when he met with the King for a flying visit following the monarch’s cancer diagnosis.
Harry is scheduled to give a speech on Wednesday (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.
A spokesperson for the Duke said: “It unfortunately will not be possible due to His Majesty’s full programme. The Duke of course is understanding of his father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon.”
The Prince’s return comes amid a tumultuous time for the royal family, who have been plagued by health troubles this year.
Key Points
Prince Harry will not reunite with King Charles on visit
Prince Harry back on British soil
Harry will not stay at Buckingham Palace
Harry and Meghan’s popularity revealed in new poll
Prince Harry’s US visa under review after drug use revelations
Meghan Markle “slips” UK leg of Invictus Games celebrations
Tiny mistake spotted in King Charles’ new Coronation roll
22:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
An intricately stitched roll more than 70ft (21.4 metres) long, created for the King’s coronation, contains just one mistake, it’s been revealed – a missing dot over an “i”.
The roll, which consists of 30 pages stitched together by hand, is the official record of Charles’s crowning.
Calligrapher Stephanie von Werthern-Gill said she worked for 56 days non-stop writing the roll after the coronation almost a year ago, on 6 May.
Tiny mistake spotted in King Charles’ new Coronation roll
Prince Harry ‘hopes’ to see King ‘soon’ but reunion not in the cards
20:57 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The Duke of Sussex “hopes” to see his father “soon” after the King’s “full programme” meant a reunion was not possible during Harry’s UK trip to celebrate his Invictus Games.
Harry has travelled to London to mark the 10th anniversary of his Paralympic-style tournament for wounded veterans and serving military but will not cap his visit by sitting down with his father.
The former working royal joked during an Invictus summit event he would be spending the evening having dinner with former Invictus Games Foundation trustee Guy Monson.
The pair last met soon after the King announced his cancer diagnosis in February and his son, who now lives with his family in California, rushed from America to see his father.
A spokesperson for the duke said: “In response to the many inquiries and continued speculation on whether or not the duke will meet with his father while in the UK this week, it unfortunately will not be possible due to His Majesty’s full programme.
“The duke of course is understanding of his father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon.”
Queen tells excited children a new school library will make ‘huge difference’
19:58 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The Queen told children “the more books you read, the more you’re going to learn” as she opened a new school library which she said would make a “huge difference” to pupils.
Camilla told excited children at Moreland Primary School in Islington, London: “The more you’re going to learn the more you’re going to get on in life.
“It’s so important to keep reading.”
The library’s opening is part of the Coronation Libraries Project which honours the Queen’s significant contributions to literacy initiatives and her encouragement for children to embrace reading.
Harry hopes to see King ‘soon’ after full programme means reunion not possible
19:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The Duke of Sussex “hopes” to see his father “soon” after the King’s “full programme” meant a reunion was not possible during Harry’s UK trip to celebrate his Invictus Games.
Harry has travelled to London to mark the 10th anniversary of his Paralympic-style tournament for wounded veterans and serving military but will not cap his visit by sitting down with his father.
The pair last met soon after the King announced his cancer diagnosis in February and his son, who now lives with his family in California, rushed from America to see his father.
Harry hopes to see King ‘soon’ after full programme means reunion not possible
Kate Beckinsale praises King Charles for ‘being really open’ about his cancer diagnosis
18:26 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Kate Beckinsale is applauding King Charles III amid his battle with cancer.
The British actor, 50, praised the 75-year-old monarch for being candid about his cancer diagnosis as she reflected on her own relationship with cancer in her family.
While attending the King’s Trust Gala in New York City on 2 May, the Underworld star said she’s “impressed” with “how open” Charles has been about his health.
Kate Beckinsale praises King Charles for being ‘really open’ about his cancer
Princess Beatrice gives rare update on Sarah Ferguson’s cancer diagnosis
17:39 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Princess Beatrice has said that Sarah Ferguson has been given the “all clear” from cancer in a rare TV interview discussing her mother’s health.
The Princess, 35, gave the first update on her mother since January when it was announced that the Duchess of York, 64, had skin cancer following the removal of several moles.
At the time, the Duchess was said to be “undergoing further investigations to ensure that it has been caught in the early stages.”
Princess Beatrice gives rare update on Fergie’s cancer diagnosis
Meghan Markle “slips” UK leg of Invictus Games celebrations
15:34 , Emma Guinness
Prince Harry is expected to spend just three days in the UK before leaving for Nigeria.
There, he will be joined by his wife, Meghan Markle, who is expected to fly to fly directly from California.
The couple’s visit will be to mark the 10th anniversary of The Invictus Games, which Harry is currently acknowledging in the UK.
His wife is reported to have chosen to “skip” the UK part of the celebrations.
In Nigeria, Harry and Meghan are expected to give talks about the event for wounded, injured and sick service people, which the Prince founded back in 2014.
While the couple are reported to be funding their own travel, a spokesperson for Nigeria’s Ministry of Information and National Orientation said that they will likely be given free accommodation from the government.
It is not known if they will be accompanied on the trip by their children, Archie and Lilibet.
Prince Harry all smiles in London this afternoon
15:12 , Emma Guinness
Prince Harry has been photographed attending an event celebrating the Invictus Games in London this afternoon.
The Duke of Sussex arrived back in the UK today from his home in California to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the games he founded in 2014.
In snaps of today’s celebration, he can be seen smiling with Dominic Reid OBE and CEO of the Invictus Games Foundation.
The Prince was also photographed speaking with Pikemen and Musketeers at the Honourable Artillery Company.
This was all part of an event from The Invictus Games Foundation Conversation titled “Realising a Global Community”.
Prince Harry will not meet with King Charles on visit
14:55 , Emma Guinness
Prince Harry will not meet with King Charles on his current visit to the UK, his spokesperson has confirmed.
The representative for the Duke of Sussex, 39, said that a reunion will not be possible because of the Monarch’s busy schedule following his return to duty last week.
“It unfortunately will not be possible due to His Majesty’’s full programme. The Duke of course is understanding of his father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon,” they said.
Harry and the King last saw each other for a reported 45 minutes in February following news of Charles’s cancer diagnosis breaking.
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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