Prince Harry meeting King Charles at Clarence House in 2020. Their meeting may be an indication that things are about to change in what has been a contentious relationship. King Charles came back from Balmoral just before that date, on September 6, 2023. Later that evening, he sat through a local meeting that was only 54 minutes long. This reunion follows an extended period of separation, nearly 19 months, though for others the separation was even longer.
Upon his arrival at Clarence House at 5:20 PM, Prince Harry was driven through the gates, symbolizing a possible thaw in tensions that have developed between him and the royal family. Relatedly, this visit came on the heels of Prince Harry’s legal fights over such access with the Home Office. His recent court loss was poison to those relationships.
For his own part, King Charles has been battling his own personal trials, living in the shadow of cancer. He allegedly felt he could not engage in conversation with Prince Harry whilst the royal’s legal proceedings were in process. According to several known sources, we’ve never been completely out on reconciliation.
In July, King Charles’s communications secretary, Tobyn Andreae, met with counterparts from Prince Harry’s Archewell organization, suggesting ongoing dialogue between the two parties. The recent gathering has been characterized as a first step in rebuilding those broken familial connections.
During the days leading up to the reunion, Prince Harry had undergone a remarkable transformation. He looked a lot more cheerful and at ease during the Wellchild Awards. His warm presentation was very different from the sometimes adversarial tensions over the last several months. On his way to an Invictus Games event shortly before this impossibly well-timed meeting, he was already sounding hopeful about his father’s health.
“Yes he’s great, thank you.” – Prince Harry
In a way, the visit represents both men’s lives coming full circle. He has since been ostracized from the majority of his immediate royal family, including his older brother, Prince William. Today’s meeting is a hopeful step toward restoring trust and improving lines of communication.
He noted:
“There’s no point continuing to fight any more, life is precious.” – Prince Harry
