Last September quietly marked a moment many thought might never come, as King Charles and Prince Harry sat down for a private meeting at Clarence House. It was their first face-to-face encounter in more than a year.
While it happened away from the cameras, it sent a clear signal that lines of communication were not entirely closed.
The meeting took place while Harry was back in the UK for a handful of charity commitments, including the WellChild Awards. The Duke of Sussex has long been patron of the charity, which supports seriously ill children, young people and their families. His return to British soil inevitably sparked speculation. Now, months later, sources have shed light on why the king may have agreed to see his youngest son.
The reunion came after years of tension, fuelled by Harry’s high-profile interviews and his memoir, Spare. They all included deeply critical claims about life inside the royal family.
Prince Harry’s strained relationship with his family
Harry’s relationship with his family has been under strain since he and Meghan Markle stepped back from royal duties in 2020. The couple relocated to the United States. They now live there with their two children, Archie, six, and Lilibet, four.
After leaving royal life behind, Harry and Meghan gave a series of candid interviews about their experiences within the monarchy. Their 2021 conversation with Oprah Winfrey caused global shockwaves. Harry alleged that his father had stopped taking his calls following his exit.
During the same interview, Harry also described King Charles and brother Prince William as being “trapped” within the royal institution.
Further accusations followed in 2023 with the release of Spare. Among the most explosive claims was an allegation that William physically attacked Harry during a 2019 argument over Meghan.
Against this backdrop, Harry’s brief meeting with his father last year, reportedly lasting under an hour, stood out. While no details of the conversation became public, many royal watchers viewed it as a tentative but positive step. Harry himself had spoken in May of last year about wanting reconciliation.
The ‘reason’ King Charles met with Harry at Clarence House
Now, Daily Mail’s Royal Editor Rebecca English has offered insight into what may have prompted the king to agree to the meeting.
Writing about the situation, English said sources close to the monarch insisted Charles has been deeply “pained” by the family rift.
Better to meet and then retreat instead.
However, she also suggested the king may have felt “slightly railroaded” into the encounter.
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English believes Charles understood that refusing to meet Harry could later be used against him, potentially becoming another source of criticism.
As she summed it up, the king’s thinking may have been simple and strategic: “Better to meet and then retreat instead.”
Buckingham Palace has been contacted for comment.
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