The Duke of Sussex has suggested people are trying to sabotage his reconciliation with King Charles, as he described media reports about their recent meeting as “categorically false”.
Prince Harry met his father at Clarence House in London on 10 September, in their first face to face meeting since February 2024.
However, a report in the Sun on Saturday suggested the reunion had been more formal than expected, with the duke reportedly left feeling like he was being treated as an official visitor, rather than family.
In a statement, Prince Harry’s spokesperson said the claims were “pure invention fed, one can only assume, by sources intent on sabotaging any reconciliation between father and son”.
The Sun newspaper said Prince Harry had confirmed aspects of its reporting. It said the duke’s office “was given full right of reply yesterday in advance of publication and opted not to give a response to the Sun’s carefully sourced account of the meeting”.
The duke’s recent visit to the United Kingdom took place over four days, during which he carried out a series of charity events in Nottingham and London.
Almost two years had passed since father and son last saw each other, with their last engagement together taking place soon after the King’s cancer diagnosis last year.
Prince Harry, 41, has visited the country in the meantime for other engagements, including court appearances.
Buckingham Palace confirmed that the pair had a private tea together during a visit that lasted about 50 minutes.
The meeting was seen to be the first step in improving relations between the King, 76, and the duke following what has seemed a deep family rift.
Prince Harry has previously told BBC News he did not want to fight anymore, saying in an interview in May: “I would love a reconciliation with my family.”
In his statement on Saturday, Prince Harry also corrected part of the Sun’s report about the gifts that had been exchanged. The Sun had initially said a framed photograph of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s family was exchanged.
“While we would have preferred such details to remain private, for the sake of clarity we can confirm that a framed photograph was handed over, however the image did not contain the duke and duchess,” the duke’s spokesperson said.
An earlier statement from a spokesman for the duke to the Sun read: “The trip back was about focusing on his patronages and supporting his good causes while also having time to catch up with family and friends.”
Prince Harry has previously expressed his desire to reconcile with his family after years of media appearances, a memoir and a Netflix documentary that have caused further strain and speculation.
Prince Harry, Meghan and their two children, Archie and Lilibet currently live in California. The last known meeting between King Charles and his grandchildren was at the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee in June 2022.
There have been no signs of Prince Harry and his brother Prince William meeting in the future, with the brothers carrying out separate arrangements during Prince Harry’s visit.
Prince Harry has long been critical of parts of the UK media, and brought legal action against several newspapers including the Sun. In January, the publisher of the Sun agreed to pay “substantial damages” and apologised to the Duke of Sussex to settle a long-running legal battle over claims of unlawful intrusion into his life.
Last year, he said the tabloid press had been “central” to the breakdown of his relationship with the rest of the Royal Family.
Source: BBC
- Agencies
