Why Prince Harry's Visit With King Charles Was So Short
The prince spent only 24 hours in the U.K. after the king was diagnosed with cancer.
Prince Harry visited King Charles III this month after the monarch announced his cancer diagnosis publicly, but he did not stay for long. Sources close to Prince Harry told Us Weekly that there were essentially two reasons his visit was so short. For one thing, the prince did not want to spend too much time away from his young children, but the main reason was "the discomfort Harry feels in that environment." However, the insiders suspect that this painful experience may lead Prince Harry and Prince William to reconcile at last.
King Charles was diagnosed with cancer in late January while he was hospitalized for a procedure to correct his enlarged prostate. He reportedly called his sons and his siblings with the news within a week, and on Feb. 5 Buckingham Palace officially announced the diagnosis to the world. On Feb. 6, Prince Harry "jumped on the first plane possible" to visit his father after hearing the news, but he only stayed for 24 hours, with no photo ops or media frenzy. A source close to him said: "Harry was focused on catching up and spending quality time together."
Prince Harry visited the king at his personal residence in London, and insiders described the meeting as "amicable and warm." They said: "Charles was extremely touched by Harry's gesture." Another source said that Harry "got to tell his father how much he loves him and get a fuller account of what Charles is facing." So far, the public doesn't know what type of cancer the king is facing or any details of his outpatient treatment.
The king has been taking small steps toward making up with his son for months now, though he has not given the public apologies Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have asked for. Most reports say that things between Prince Harry and Prince William are as bad as ever, but that the king is trying to lead the charge in mending fences.
They said: "It's Charles' greatest wish for the family to be on good terms again. Health and peace are his top priorities."
As for his desire to stay close to his children, Markle, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet remained at home in California for this visit. Lilibet has only visited the U.K. once in the summer of 2022 and has not seen her grandfather since.
Prince Harry did not see Prince William or Middleton during his 24-hour visit, but sources sound hopeful that they will find some sense of normalcy soon. Middleton remains on medical leave and the king continues to work while receiving outpatient treatment only.