After 19 months estranged from his father, Prince Harry sat down with King Charles for a tightly controlled 54-minute meeting last week amid rumours of a royal reconciliation.
And Closer can reveal Harry offered a rare apology to Charles during the encounter at Clarence House, acknowledging the hurtful things he and wife Meghan Markle have said since their decision to step down from royal duties in 2020.
‘It was the first time in a long while Harry actually said sorry,’ our source says. ‘He told his father he regretted how certain things played out, especially in public. Charles listened, but whether he truly believed it is another matter.’
The King was ‘open to a conversation’ with his son ©Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
According to our insider, Harry, 41, even insisted they set up a FaceTime call between the King, 76, and Meghan, 44, during the meeting, as well as with his four-year-old granddaughter, Lilibet – making it the first time they’d spoken in almost two years.
‘It was short but sweet. Meghan took the call and briefly spoke to Charles,’ the source explains. ‘Then Lilibet was put on to say hello. It was emotional. Harry was eager to show his father and Meghan that there’s still a family connection, that they could end the toxic feud and rebuild through the children.’
After the meeting, Harry headed to a delayed Invictus Games reception, smiling and insisting his father was ‘great.’ The UK visit – his first in five months – also saw the prince attend the WellChild charity awards in London, announce a significant donation to a Children in Need project and visit the Centre for Blast Injury Studies. He rounded off the four-day trip with a visit to a charity set up in memory of his mother, Princess Diana.
kate, william and camilla were notably absent from the reunion with harry ©Getty Images: Yui Mok/PA Wire
A spokesperson for The Duke of Sussex said, ‘He’s obviously loved being back in the UK, catching up with old friends, colleagues and just generally being able to support the incredible work of the causes that mean so much to him.’
Meanwhile, Prince William, 43, and his wife, Kate Middleton, also 43, were notably absent from the reunion, carrying out engagements in Cardiff to mark World Suicide Prevention Day instead. And Queen Camilla, 78, was nowhere to be seen.
Royal insiders say that while the King was open to a conversation, other members of the royal family have been less forthcoming. Our source continues, ‘The call was touching, yes, but nobody believes a quick hello from Lilibet can erase years of pain. Charles was very wary. With the cameras watching, it would have looked worse if he hadn’t seen his son. Charles snubbed a meeting this time last year when Harry was just a stone’s throw away.
‘He may be a soft touch, but William is the one Harry needs to crack. He’s the future of the monarchy, and he’s not budging. Harry can talk his way past Charles but he cannot talk his way past his brother. As for Camilla, she sees no reason to entertain Harry. She remembers all too well the slights and accusations. She’s made her position clear – she won’t play along.’
The Sussexes reconnected with King Charles ©Getty Images: The Hapa Blonde/GC Images
As Closer previously reported, Harry had instructed his aides to reach out to Buckingham Palace to arrange some private time with his father, King Charles, as well as William and Kate, in a bid to resolve their years-long feud.
The family rift first began in 2020, when Harry and Meghan stepped down as working royals and moved to the US. The couple – who now live in Montecito with their children Archie, six, and Lilibet – went on to make a string of bombshell claims about the royals in their infamous Oprah Winfrey interview, followed by their Netflix docu-series, with even more explosive allegations made in Harry’s memoir, Spare.
In May, Harry revealed his father had stopped speaking to him after he lost a legal challenge over security for himself and his family during any visits to the UK. But senior aides for Charles and Harry met for peace talks in July – prompting rumours Harry could be welcomed back into the royal fold.
Harry revealed he would ‘love a reconciliation’ with his family, adding, ‘There’s no point continuing to fight any more, life is precious.’
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But there’s talk there could be another motive behind Harry’s determination to make amends with his family. ‘Palace insiders think he’s trying to shoehorn his way back in. After all the interviews, the book, the Netflix shows – people feel he wants the benefits of being royal without the duties. There’s deep mistrust,’ our insider adds.
‘In 2027, the Invictus Games are due to return to the UK, and Harry is desperate for royal backing. He knows the Games mean more with the Palace behind him. That’s why he’s here, why he’s playing the family card. But without William’s support, it won’t have the same weight. And William isn’t shifting.’
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