Prince Harry will be arriving in London within hours for the annual WellChild Awards and a possible reunion with his estranged father. Here’s everything we know about Harry’s visit to UK shores and the potential royal reconciliation
Within mere hours, Prince Harry will be touching down in the UK for the first time since April to attend the WellChild Awards in London.
There has been much speculation around his visit, and questions over whether Harry will meet with King Charles, Prince William, or any of the royal family on his trip after years of public jabs and allegations levelled at the Firm, resulting in a bitter stalemate between the Sussex camp and the royal family.
With Harry’s rare visit set to kick off tomorrow, here’s everything we know so far about his trip to UK shores and the potential of a royal reconciliation…
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Harry’s trip to the UK explained
Harry is making the trip from his home in California to London for the WellChild Awards on Monday, to celebrate the achievements and resilience of seriously ill youngsters and their families.
It will be Harry’s 15th time attending the annual award ceremony as he continues his work as the charity’s patron, which is a role he has held for 17 years. The Duke will spend time with each winner and their families at a pre-ceremony reception then present an award to an inspirational child aged four to six.
In a statement issued by WellChild, the Duke said: “I am always privileged to attend the WellChild Awards and meet the incredible children, families and professionals who inspire us all with their strength and spirit.
“For 20 years these awards have highlighted the courage of young people living with complex health needs and shone a light on the devoted caregivers – family and professionals – who support them every step of the way. Their stories remind us of the power of compassion, connection and community.” The day of the award ceremony also marks the three-year anniversary since the death of Queen Elizabeth.
Travelling solo
While a meeting between Prince Harry and King Charles could be on the cards, Meghan Markle will maintain her self-imposed exile from Britain, opting to stay in California with the couple’s two children, Archie and Lilibet.
Charles has not seen his grandchildren since June 2022, when the Sussexes returned for the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Meghan recently spoke about the time she was separated from her children for three weeks, with the act making her “not well”. The Duchess of Sussex shared the confession in the second series of her Netflix programme, and while she did not elaborate on when she was apart from her children, there has been speculation she was referring to when the Sussexes unexpectedly remained in the UK due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.
Given this, Meghan will remain in the US with Archie and Lilibet during Harry’s trip to the UK, leaving him to make the journey solo.
A meeting between father and son
As King Charles is expected to be in the UK during Harry’s visit, many royal commentators and fans alike have speculated that the estranged father and son will reunite for the first time in almost two years.
The two have not seen one another since January last year, a period in which His Majesty had been undergoing treatment for cancer. A silent truce was called between Harry and his father, as they had a meeting lasting just 30 minutes.
Harry has long expressed his desire to reconcile with King Charles and the royal family at large, with rumours of peace talks first emerging when senior aides to both Charles and Harry were spotted at a meeting in London in early July.
A US source told the Mirror that there is a strong possibility the pair will reunite, saying: “It’s clear there is now a determination on both sides to make this happen. Nobody is pretending the wider family issues have been resolved, but this is about beginning with Charles and Harry. For the first time in a long time, there’s a genuine sense that reconciliation is within reach.”
They continued: “After 20 months apart, and with the King continuing his treatment, the feeling is that the time is right to take that step. This is not about grand gestures or set-piece meetings – it’s about a simple face-to-face conversation between a father and his son. The priority is privacy and dignity, but also ensuring the door stays open for further dialogue. As for Harry and William, though, any chance of reconciliation between them has been rejected out of hand.”
While rumours have swirled about Prince Harry and King Charles meeting during the Duke of Sussex ’s brief trip to London, neither Buckingham Palace or the Sussex camp have confirmed such a meeting will take place.
Brothers at war
While Harry is expected to ootentially have a long overdue reunion with his father King Charles during his rare trip to UK shores, it is extremely unlikely that the Duke of Sussex will see his estranged brother, Prince William.
William is believed to have firmly declined any potential reunion with his brother after years of public jabs between the two princes, as a source told the Mirror that the years-long onslaught of highly-publicised allegations about the royal family from Harry over the years has led to serious trust issues between the brothers.
The source said: “William feels Harry has repeatedly chosen public exposure over private resolution and that the Royal Family can’t keep being dragged into the headlines every time there’s a new contract to promote.”
They added: “The issue with Harry, as well as Meghan, is one of trust. Ever since moving to North America, they have eroded all confidence in their ability to keep things or their criticisms private. For there to be any chance of moving forward, that trust has to be rebuilt, and Team Sussex knows the onus is on them.”
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond also weighed in on Harry and William’s relationship in light of the Duke of Sussex’s trip to the UK, as she told the Mirror that while Harry may reach out to some members of the royal family during his trip, he is unlikely to try and contact his brother.
She said: “Harry may well see some of his cousins – such as Eugenie or Beatrice – but I don’t think there’s any likelihood of a meeting with William or Catherine. The rift between the brothers remains too deep and William has far too much going on in his life to worry about the Harry problem.
“I would never say never in a family dispute. As the years roll by, it may be that William will find a way to reconcile with Harry. But that day – if it ever comes, and it may not – is not any time soon.”
Security struggle
In May 2025, Prince Harry sensationally lost his Court of Appeal challenge over his security arrangements while in the UK. After the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) removed his high-level police protection when he stepped back from Royal duties and moved to the US in 2020, the Duke of Sussex took his case to court and lost.
The ruling was a huge blow for Harry who previously argued that while he wished to bring his wife and two children to the UK, it was not safe to do so without taxpayer-funded police protection.
As a result of the ruling, Prince Harry is not automatically entitled to receive public protection while in the UK, but will no doubt be travelling with his own private security escort regardless.
