Will Prince Harry Reunite With Brother Prince William During UK Visit?
There are "no plans" for Prince Harry to meet with his older brother, and their busy schedules will likely keep them apart, if nothing else.
Prince Harry traveled to the U.K. after learning of his father's cancer diagnosis, but sources close to him say he has no plans of meeting with his brother Prince William. Prince Harry arrived in London on Tuesday, according to a report by PEOPLE, and went straight to Clarence House to see King Charles III. Insiders said he is not likely to visit Prince William, who is busy helping his wife as she recovers from abdominal surgery.
The king was hospitalized for three days to be treated for an enlarged prostate, leaving The London Clinic on Monday, Jan. 29. Doctors diagnosed him with cancer while operating on him, and the king reportedly told his sons and his siblings first before making a public announcement on Monday, Feb. 5. Now, Prince Harry has traveled to the U.K. alone to visit his father, while his wife Meghan Markle and their children remained at home in California. A source at the royal household told PEOPLE that there are "no plans" for Prince Harry to meet with Prince William while he is in the U.K.
The only explanation is that both princes are busy. Prince William stepped away from his public duties last month when Middleton began her recovery. A statement from Kensington Palace said that Middleton's surgery was "planned," but that she would need longer than anticipated to recover. She has postponed all of her public engagements through at least Easter, and she stayed in the hospital for two weeks before returning home. Prince William stayed at home to help care for her and oversee their three children, but starting on Wednesday, Feb. 7, the prince will go back to work.
The heir's first public engagement will be an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle and a fundraising gala for the London Air Ambulance. Middleton will stay out of the public eye at least until the end of March, while the king has canceled his public appearances indefinitely. However, according to Buckingham Palace, the king will continue to carry out his other duties in private. Sources told PEOPLE that the king does not plan on appointing Prince William a Counsellor of State to act on his behalf.
Of course, pundits are speculating that the princes are not meeting because of the rumored feud between them ever since Prince Harry left his royal duties behind and moved to the U.S. Prince Harry described some friction with his brother in his 2022 memoir Spare, but many aspects of their relationship remain unconfirmed.