Danica Kirka and Brian Melley Updated July 11, 2026 — 6:01 a.m.,first published 4:43 a.m. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. TOTOTO London: King Charles III welcomed Prince Harry on Friday and met with his family for the first time in years
Danica Kirka and Brian Melley
Updated ,first published
London: King Charles III welcomed Prince Harry on Friday and met with his family for the first time in years as they try to repair a rift that has persisted since his youngest son and his wife left royal life and moved to the United States six years ago.
Harry, Meghan and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, met the king and Queen Camilla at Highgrove House, an estate west of London, Buckingham Palace confirmed.
The Duke of Sussex had arrived in his homeland on Monday to attend a series of charity events that were overshadowed by speculation about whether he would be reunited with his father.
British tabloids and news outlets were filled with speculation about whether Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, would accompany him and, more importantly, whether they would bring their two children so they could finally meet grandfather Charles.
However, the monarch’s agenda often takes years to put together, and events are planned long before they take place. The opportunity to hold such a meeting would have been fleeting, especially since the children would have to return to school in the fall and because they live in California.
The desire to seize the moment fueled tensions between Harry and royal officials earlier this week. This was highlighted by embarrassing scenes when royal officials first invited Harry to stay at Buckingham Palace and then rescinded the offer after the prince did not accept it in a timely manner.
Harry’s visit also coincided with the loss of his final lawsuit in his quest to tame the British tabloids. A judge ruled that he could not prove his invasion of privacy accusations against the editor of the daily mail.
However, his legal battles have been a source of friction with his family. Harry has said he wants to reconcile with his 77-year-old father, who is being treated for an undisclosed form of cancer.
Harry and Charles met briefly for a cup of tea in September during a brief visit to London, the first time they had seen each other in more than a year.
But the prince also wanted his children to see the monarch, whom they first met during the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022.
The royal children, Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, are now old enough to remember meeting their grandfather and will surely look forward to taking photos with the king, although the event was considered private and no pictures will be released.
Tensions within the House of Windsor have risen since Harry and Meghan quit royal duties and moved to California to pursue lucrative media deals, free from the pressures of royal life in London.
They hit a new low after Harry published an explosive memoir that included unflattering depictions of the royal family and damning accusations of a toxic relationship between the monarchy and the press.
Harry’s description of the royals leaking information about other family members in exchange for positive coverage of themselves is just one of the distasteful accusations in his book, “Spare.” The prince was especially scathing of Camilla, accusing her of broadcasting private conversations to the media as she sought to rehabilitate her image after her long affair with Charles when he was heir to the throne.
After losing a court battle over his security issue last year, Harry said he hoped to rebuild relations with his family, even as he suggested the royals had tried to prevent him from receiving police protection to punish him for stepping away from his royal duties.
“I would love to reconcile with my family. There is no point in fighting anymore,” Harry told the BBC. “I don’t know how much time my father has left.”
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