Prince Harry ‘set to meet Charles’ during UK return but William ‘rules out reunion’

Prince Harry is set to reunite with his father, King Charles, for the first time in 20 months when he travels back to Britain in two weeks – though Prince William has turned down any reconciliation with his brother.

The warming of ties between the Duke of Sussex and the monarch follows informal peace talks with Buckingham Palace officials. Harry is expected in London on 8 September – which will mark the third anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death – to attend the WellChild Awards, a charitable event he has championed for years.

The date represents Harry’s first trip back since his failed appeal against the downgrading of his security protection in the UK. Meanwhile, King Charles will be in the UK without any scheduled overseas engagements until later in September, creating an opportunity for father and son to reunite face-to-face for the first time since February 2024.

The pair haven’t met since January last year, during which time His Majesty has been receiving cancer treatment. A US source told the Mirror: “It’s clear there is now a determination on both sides to make this happen. Nobody is pretending the wider family issues have been resolved, but this is about beginning with Charles and Harry.

“For the first time in a long time, there’s a genuine sense that reconciliation is within reach. Prince Harry’s team and the Palace have opened a line of communication, and there is every hope that father and son will see one another when the Duke returns to London in September.”

They continued: “After 20 months apart, and with the King continuing his treatment, the feeling is that the time is right to take that step. This is not about grand gestures or set-piece meetings – it’s about a simple face-to-face conversation between a father and his son. The priority is privacy and dignity, but also ensuring the door stays open for further dialogue. As for Harry and William, though, any chance of reconciliation between them has been rejected out of hand.