It has been almost 20 months since Prince Harry last sat down with his father, King Charles.
Now, with the King in the midst of cancer treatment and emotions running high, a long-awaited meeting between the two is finally expected to happen in London this September.
But while father and son may be inching closer to reconciliation, Harry’s fractured relationship with his brother Prince William appears to remain at a standstill.
A Meeting Years in the Making
Prince Harry is scheduled to return to London on September 8, the third anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s passing.
During his trip, he will also attend the WellChild Awards, a charity close to his heart.
Insiders say the visit will likely include a private father-and-son conversation, described as simple and dignified rather than a grand, formal summit.
Palace officials have been quietly facilitating talks, opening a channel of communication between Harry’s team and the King’s aides.
According to a source, both sides are “determined to make this happen,” signaling the strongest effort yet to heal the rift.
William Reportedly Refuses Involvement
While Charles appears open to reconciliation, Prince William is said to have rejected the idea of meeting Harry outright.
Sources claim William feels his brother has “repeatedly chosen public exposure over private resolution” and does not want to be drawn into headlines every time Harry and Meghan embark on a new project.
For now, it seems the focus is strictly on rebuilding ties between father and son — with the wider family feud still unresolved.
Meghan and the Children Stay Behind in California
As Harry makes his brief return to the UK, Meghan Markle will remain in California with their two children, Archie and Lilibet.
The King last saw his grandchildren in June 2022, when Harry and Meghan visited for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Harry’s upcoming visit will also be the first since losing his appeal over the downgrading of his UK security arrangements, a move that had previously kept him from extended stays.
The Backchannel Efforts Behind the Scenes
Last month, Harry and Meghan’s new chief of communications, Meredith Maines, reportedly met with Tobyn Andreae, King Charles’s communications secretary, at the Royal Over-Seas League near Clarence House.
It remains unclear who first extended the olive branch, but the quiet meeting is being seen as the strongest signal yet that both sides want to find a way forward.
A History of Hurt and Public Disputes
The tension between Harry and the rest of the Royal Family has been building since 2020, when he and Meghan stepped back as senior working royals.
Initially presented as a move for greater independence and privacy, it quickly spiraled into years of public revelations.
From the explosive Oprah Winfrey interview in 2021, where they spoke about racism and Meghan’s struggles with mental health, to accusations of “unconscious bias” in 2022, and finally Harry’s tell-all memoir Spare in 2023 — the Sussexes repeatedly laid bare grievances against the monarchy.
King Charles, insiders say, was “deeply saddened” by these allegations but has never completely shut the door on reconciliation.
What September Could Mean for the Royals
For now, hopes rest on a private, dignified conversation between a father and son who have spent far too long apart.
While reconciliation with Prince William seems distant, those close to the family believe the September meeting could mark the first step toward slowly easing years of strain.
The road to healing the House of Windsor remains complicated, but for the first time in a long time, there’s genuine optimism that progress is possible.
