When King Charles announced his cancer diagnosis, estranged son Prince Harry immediately came to the UK to see his father – and one royal expert said one move by the Duke of Sussex left the palace ‘encouraged’
Prince Harry made a ‘telling’ move after he dashed to see King Charles following his cancer diagnosis, according to a royal expert.
Despite their rocky relationship, which became especially fraught after the release of his controversial memoir Spare, Harry immediately came to the UK to be at his father’s side after the news was announced the King had been diagnosed with cancer.
The pair had a short meeting at Clarence House, although on Harry’s most recent visit to the UK just a few weeks ago, there was no follow up meeting held between the pair – despite the King reportedly offering his son a place to stay at a royal residence.
But according to respected royal author Robert Hardman, after the last meet up in February, the palace was ‘encouraged’ by what Harry did next. According to the Independent, he told the Hay Literary Festival: “I thought it was telling that when the cancer diagnosis came through back in February, Prince Harry came straight over. People said why didn’t he stay longer, why didn’t he talk to his father? I mean, there is so much to be worked through, but this was absolutely not the moment to have some sort of summit with Harry about all of Harry’s grievances.
“But I think the fact he came was important, the fact he was received was important, I think what encouraged people at the palace and encouraged the king was the fact that afterwards, we didn’t then read about it or hear about it. It remained private.”
After the February reunion, Harry appeared on Good Morning America to promote his Invictus Games, which takes place in Canada next year. During an interview, he was asked about his father, but mainly stayed tight lipped and refused to comment on the King’s condition saying “that stays between me and him”.
When asked how he found out about the King’s condition, Harry explained: “I spoke to him.” Will then asked: “And what did you do next?” Harry replied: “I jumped on a plane and went to go see him as soon as I could.”
Harry said he feels lucky to have been able to visit his father following the diagnosis, having made a brief trip to London last week. He said: “Look I love my family. The fact that I was able to get on a plane and go and see him and spend any time with him I’m grateful for that.” When asked if the diagnosis could have a “reunifying effect” amid their feud, Harry said he is certain it will.
Last week, it was said that Harry knocked back an offer to stay in a royal residence earlier this month because it did not come with any security provision and he would be in a “visible location with public entrance and exit points and no police protection”.
During the case, the High Court was told that Harry believes his children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet cannot “feel at home” in the UK if it is “not possible to keep them safe”. Since moving to the US, Archie and Lilibet have only been to the UK once, with Charles only having one face-to-face meeting with his youngest granddaughter.
And according to royal biographer Ingrid Seward, the security issue looks to be the barrier when it comes to a royal reunion. She told the Mirror: “Harry and Meghan’s security fears could well be a stumbling block to any kind of reunion with the Royal Family. But no doubt they have been invited to Balmoral this summer.
“As the late Queen discovered, Scotland offers the only quality time a monarch has to devote to family. It would be very sad if Charles was denied the pleasure of seeing his grandchildren just because of Harry’s unfounded security woes.”
