Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, flew alone to the UK this Tuesday for a ceremony in London to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. However, his meeting with his father, King Charles, was forced to cancel due to the king's busy schedule.
According to British media on May 7, Prince Harry, immediately after arriving in the UK, went to Armoury House to attend an Invictus Games discussion hosted by Louise Minchin on the theme of "Building a Global Community".
His visit comes on the heels of a quick visit by Prince Harry after King Charles was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year. His spokesman revealed that the meeting could not take place due to the king's busy schedule.
Although Prince Harry had a tight schedule in the UK, including hosting a thanksgiving ceremony at St Paul's Cathedral to mark Invictus Games' 10th anniversary, his wife Meghan Markle and children Archie and Lilibet did not come along.
It is said that Meghan will fly alone to Nigeria later to join Harry and participate in the event there.
At the same time, Prince Harry's brother Prince William and sister-in-law Princess Kate were also unable to meet him due to their respective arrangements. Prince William is expected to leave London on Thursday and Friday, while Princess Kate, who is undergoing cancer treatment, has needed to remain private and quiet to focus on recovery since her condition was made public in March.
King Charles was photographed leaving Windsor Castle on the same day that Prince Harry arrived in the UK, heading to Clarence House in London, and subsequently hosting Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka at Buckingham Palace. Although King Charles has always expressed his willingness to maintain communication with Harry, the schedule of this trip does not seem to leave room for the father and son to meet.
Prince Harry invited Prince William and other senior members of the royal family to the thanksgiving ceremony, but none of them are likely to attend, according to Page Six. Although Prince Harry is expected to stay at a hotel in London, his Frogmore Cottage is no longer available.
This celebration of the Invictus Games is Prince Harry's first major public appearance in the UK and his first return to the UK since King Charles' cancer diagnosis. In addition, the visit coincided with his legal proceedings with the British government over security arrangements during his time in the UK, and it was his first return to the UK since Princess Kate's cancer diagnosis was announced.
Experts believe that Prince Harry may meet with King Charles, but the chances of a meeting with Kate or Prince William are slim.
Royal author Tom Bower said: "I'm sure he won't see Kate. I'm surprised that Meghan will come. ”
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams agrees: "Given the current rift, I don't think Kate is likely to be in attendance. The only hope for reconciliation is private, we will not know. ”
Former royal journalist Michael Cole said: "After so much unpleasantness, it's hard to see the Sussexes reconcile with the royal family this week or in the foreseeable future. ”
After that, Harry and Meghan contacted the Williams "privately" after Kate's illness was announced, and issued a statement saying: "We wish Kate and her family good health and recovery. ”
But for now, tensions within the royal family do not seem to have eased.
Tomorrow, the thanksgiving ceremony at St. Paul's Cathedral will feature a poem recited by actor Damian Lewis and will be attended by representatives of Invictus Games from all countries, including injured, wounded and sick service members and members of the veteran community. After the ceremony, Harry and Meghan will travel to Nigeria at the invitation of the country's chief of defense staff.
Prince Harry, a patron of the Invictus Games Foundation, partnered with Netflix last year to launch the documentary series Heart of Invictus, which tells the story of athletes. After celebrating their son Archie's fifth birthday yesterday, the couple will set off for Nigeria. Allegedly, they will celebrate in a low-key manner at their home in Montecito, California, with Meghan's mother, Doria, also present to support.
Speaking at the launch event of the Invictus Games Whistler in February, Prince Harry said: "The kids are all good. ”
He added: "Kids, like most children, grow up very fast, they all have an incredible sense of humor, make us laugh every day and keep us grounded. I am grateful to be their father. ”
Meanwhile, King Charles and Queen Camilla celebrated their first coronation anniversary yesterday, with Prince Harry sitting in the third row of Westminster Abbey as fifth in line to the throne with no formal ceremonial role.