It was the reunion the Duke of Sussex had longed for – a chance to talk face to face with his father, whom he had not seen for 19 months. And when he joined the King for a private tea at Clarence House last week, his visit immediately made headlines across the world. The meeting had been "under consideration" for some time, HELLO! understands, and a window left clear in both men's diaries, but neither side would be drawn in advance on whether it would happen.
Harry's more relaxed, buoyant demeanour in the days leading up to his visit to Clarence House, however, led some observers to conclude that it was only a matter of time. In the event, Buckingham Palace would only confirm that the Duke had joined his father for a private tea as his car pulled out of the gates, 54 minutes after he had been pictured arriving. It may have been brief, but for Harry, who has made no secret of his desire for reconciliation with his father, the visit came as a welcome boost.
"He would like a relationship with his father. There's no doubt about that," says a source who has known Harry for many years.
"I don't think he's completely dropped the idea of feeling that he has been wronged in certain ways by the institution, but he would rather the opportunity for reconciliation. With the passing of time, everything softens, especially when close family members are ill; that focuses the mind somewhat. He's willing to be a bit more at peace with things, rather than battling constantly. It's taken its toll."
The King hosted his younger son between an investiture for the Holocaust survivor Manfred Goldberg and an audience with Peter Malinauskas, the premier of South Australia, having flown back to London from Balmoral for a meeting of the privy council at St James's Palace.
"Certainly, he will be happy that it has happened," the King’s biographer Robert Hardman tells HELLO!. "I'm sure he would love to see Harry more, and, of course, his grandchildren." The author of Charles III: New King, New Court – The Inside Story adds: "I think it's encouraging that they’ve gone from 'no speaks' to a face-to-face meeting, but any longer-term solution would need to be discussed with Prince William as well, and that situation seems to be moving at a very different pace."
The Prince of Wales is not thought to have had any contact with his brother for the past couple of years, amid the fallout from Harry's various TV interviews and his memoir, Spare. On the day his brother met Charles, William was carrying out an engagement in Wales. Harry, meanwhile, had his own packed schedule of meetings and engagements to get through, some of them having been many months in the planning.
© Getty ImagesHe had spent that morning at a quarterly meeting with representatives from all of his UK-based charities and organisations, before heading to Imperial College London's Centre for Blast Injury Studies. There, he announced a $500,000 (£370,000) donation from his Archewell Foundation to projects supporting injured children from Gaza and Ukraine, including helping the World Health Organization with evacuations and work to develop prosthetics. As he left, he told well-wishers: "I have to go; I am so late," before making his way to Clarence House amid heavy traffic.
© Getty Images for The Invictus GaAfter meeting the King, he arrived almost 40 minutes late for a reception for sponsors and supporters of the Invictus Games Foundation at the Gherkin skyscraper, where he was asked how his father was. "Yes, he's great, thank you," he replied. In a speech, he joked about his long journey across London, saying: "I think this whole thing has been delayed slightly, so at this point you're all hammered – which was part of the plan all along, stuck up here at the top of the Gherkin.''
"He was on great form," one attendee told HELLO!. "He seemed to be really happy to be there."
Parenthood changes everything
The Duke had flown into London on 8 September, the third anniversary of the death of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, and travelled straight to Windsor to pay tribute, laying a wreath and flowers at her tomb in the George VI Memorial Chapel at St George's Chapel. Despite the inevitable jet lag after a long overnight flight, he was full of energy a few hours later, when he arrived at the 20th annual WellChild Awards in central London, heading straight to meet the young winners and their families before the ceremony. Speaking exclusively to HELLO! afterwards, he opened up about how becoming a father had deepened his empathy for the families who are supported by the charity.
© Getty Images"Once you become a parent yourself, everything changes," he said. "It's emotional enough, not being a parent and seeing what these families go through. But then when you have your own kids, when you're expecting your own kids, that's when it really hits you. I remember one of these years, I choked up on stage, and that was exactly it: I am so grateful to have healthy kids."
Harry, who has been patron of WellChild for 17 years, also explained why his charity work means so much to him.
"For so many people, helping other people helps you as well," he told us. "It's really important for perspective. I personally get so much out of helping other people; certainly that's what I'll be teaching my kids and hopefully everybody else does as well."
For the full interview, pick up the latest issue of HELLO! on sale in the UK now. You can subscribe to HELLO! to get the magazine delivered free to your door every week or purchase the digital edition online via our Apple or Google apps.
