Prince Harry and King Charles III reconnected in the U.K. this week.
The father-son reunion, part of Harry’s four-day tour in the U.K., is the first time the pair have been together in 19 months. Harry’s last visit with his father was in February 2024, days after the monarch publicly announced his cancer diagnosis.
Harry arrived at Clarence House, Charles’ London residence, on Monday evening to join his father for a private tea. The visit lasted roughly 50 minutes.
On his way out, Harry told reporters, “Yes, he’s great,” in response to questions about Charles, per the BBC.
Harry has frequently spoken about the rift between him and his family after he left behind his royal duties and moved to the United States with his wife, Meghan.
He has publicly expressed interest in mending his fractured family relationships, particularly with Charles and his brother Prince William, on several occasions.
In May, during an emotional interview with the BBC, Harry said he would “love reconciliation with my family,” but understood some of his family might not forgive him over some of their ongoing disagreements.
“There’s no point continuing to fight anymore. Life is precious. I don’t know how much longer my father has,” Harry said. “But it would be nice to reconcile.”
During a 2023 interview with the ITV network, Harry told Tom Bradby, “I would like to get my father back; I would like to have my brother back,” but “they’ve shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile.”
The fractured family dynamic was detailed by Harry in his 2023 memoir “Spare,” but the book only caused further stress on his relationships with the royal family, he acknowledged during the BBC interview.
“This, at the heart of it, is a family dispute, and it makes me really, really sad that we’re sitting here today, five years later, where a decision that was made most likely, in fact I know, to keep us under the roof,” he said.
Harry says fatherhood has changed him
Also during his four-day visit to the U.K., Harry made an appearance at the 20th anniversary of the annual Well Child Awards, where he shared insights into how fatherhood has changed him.
Harry is a father to Prince Archie, who is 6, and Princess Lilibet, who is 4.
“I think once you become a parent yourself, everything changes,” Harry said while speaking with Hello! Magazine at the Well Child Awards event.
He continued, “It’s emotional enough not being a parent and seeing what these families go through, but then when you have your own kids or when you’re expecting your own kids, that’s when it really hits you.”
Well Child is a U.K. charity that seeks to provide mental and physical health care for children and young adults who are in need, particularly those with long-term or complicated health conditions.
At the event, Harry said he was overcome with gratitude for his own children’s health. “I am so grateful to have healthy kids,” he said.