Many were anticipating a meeting between the Duke of Sussex and his father during his visit to London this week, leading to surprise and even shock when
Many were anticipating a meeting between the Duke of Sussex and his father during his visit to London this week, leading to surprise and even shock when such an encounter did not occur.
As Prince Harry’s newly appointed British spokesman explained on Tuesday: ‘In response to the many inquiries and continued speculation on whether or not the Duke will meet with his father while in the UK this week, it, unfortunately, will not be possible due to His Majesty’s full programme.
The Duke, he continued, ‘is understanding of his father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon’.
Friends of King Charles and Queen Camilla who I have spoken to are not in the least bit surprised, Nevertheless, the 75-year-old monarch has encountered his younger son only once since being diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer over three months ago, and that meeting lasted no longer than 30 minutes.
Harry promptly flew in from his residence in California upon hearing about Charles’s illness, but he soon returned to the airport after a brief encounter with his father.
What Could Be The Reason Behind His Majesty’s Decision Not To Meet His Younger Son This Week?
‘He doesn’t need the drama in his life,’ explained one of the friends. ‘Harry and Meghan have brought him, and the rest of the family, nothing but worries over the past few years.’
King Charles has long wanted to use his position to make an impact.
In 1976, he established the Prince’s Trust to aid vulnerable young individuals in stabilizing their lives. Subsequently, he promoted traditional architecture and emerged as a fervent supporter of environmental conservation — just a couple of instances among his diverse array of interests.
‘In some ways, this might sound odd, but the cancer diagnosis has given His Majesty even more energy,’ another friend tells me. He spent decades waiting to be King, of course, and realises that his time might be very limited.
‘So, he’s determined to make as much difference as he can – as soon as he can. Frankly speaking, Harry and Meghan are a painful distraction that he could do without.’
Last week, the King resumed his public duties with a visit to a cancer center, despite not having finished his own treatment yet.
And the Queen gave an insight into her husband’s sense of urgency when she told a guest at a Buckingham Palace reception: ‘I think he was really thrilled to be out.’ She added, tellingly: ‘I’ve been trying to hold him back.’
The Sussexes have yet to issue an apology for their deeply personal and highly public criticisms of the Royal Family. Privately, they reportedly maintain that they are the ones deserving of an apology.
From what I gather, any reconciliation between the Sussexes and the royals hinges on Harry and Meghan expressing remorse for the distress they’ve caused. It’s understood that The King struggles, especially, to forgive Harry’s remarks in his explosive memoir, “Spare,” where the Duke depicted his stepmother, Queen Camilla, as a “villain” who abandoned him “like a body in the street” to salvage her own reputation.
It’s noteworthy that one of the Queen’s most trusted and discreet confidantes, the Marchioness of Lansdowne, spoke out last year about the hurt caused by Harry’s remarks.
‘Of course, it bothers her, of course it hurts,’ Lady Lansdowne said then. ‘Her [Camilla’s] philosophy is always, “Don’t make a thing of it and it will settle down – least said, soonest mended”.’
