The Duke of Sussex could have had “conflicted” feelings over seeing the King’s state visit to the US, an expert has said. Former BBC royal commentator Jennie Bond said it would have been a “rather surreal experience” for Prince Harry watching his father being “feted” in the country where he now resides.
Charles did not travel to California to see his estranged son while in the US, instead flying into Bermuda after the four-day state visit ended. Harry has not seen his father face-to-face since September last year, when he was in London for a charity awards ceremony. The pair have only seen each other a handful of times in recent years amid a strain in relations, although the Prince has said he “would love a reconciliation” with the Royal Family.
Ms Bond suggested that while a visit from the King to Harry in California was never on the cards, his stateside appearance could have brought up some feelings for the Duke.
She told the Mirror: “I don’t think it would have been any surprise to Harry that there was no opportunity to see his father during the state visit. But it must have been a rather surreal experience to watch his dad being feted in the country which is now Harry‘s home, and yet not to see him.
“Of course, in reality, they were still thousands of miles apart and the two of them have not even met when they’ve been within a mile of one another in London. So it was never going to happen.”
The state visit was focused on the east coast of the US — primarily Washington DC, but also New York City and Virginia.
Harry, along with his wife Meghan and children Prince Archie and Princess Lillibet, live in Montecito, near Santa Barbara in southern California.
The Sussexes moved to the US west coast in 2020 after Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior royals.
Ms Bond said Harry could have felt “conflicted” watching the King as he was hosted by Donald Trump amid a UK-US rift.
The royal expert told the Mirror: “Harry is on record as saying he believes his father and brother are trapped in their royal existence. And, only last week, he said how important it was to have the right to hold truth to power and to say what he believes. So he may have felt rather conflicted watching the King in action.
“On the one hand, he probably felt that the President didn’t deserve all the reflected glory of having the King and Queen at the White House. But I think he would’ve been quietly proud of the way Charles skillfully delivered some quite pointed and political ripostes to the things Trump has been saying.
“Harry stands united with his father on the need to support Ukraine, for example. And he would have appreciated his father‘s nuanced putdown of Trump‘s insults about British service men and women and our naval power.”
Ms Bond believes there is still a chance Harry and the King could repair their relationship, but that this would likely be done behind closed doors as they build bridges after years of estrangement.