Prince Harry’s reported UK visit is expected to centre on the one-year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham.
However, one royal commentator believes Prince William is unlikely to meet his younger brother and Meghan Markle during the trip.
Harry and Meghan are set to travel to the UK with Archie and Lilibet. Notably, the children have not been in Britain since the late Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee celebrations in 2022.
Prince Harry’s UK visit puts family tensions back in the spotlight
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expected to come to Britain as Harry marks the countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games. In addition, the duke plans to meet charities where he still holds patronage roles, including WellChild and Scotty’s Little Soldiers.
For some time, Harry has said he wants to bring his children back to the UK. At the same time, he has remained locked in a legal battle over long-term security arrangements.
He has repeatedly argued that it would be unsafe to bring Meghan and the children to Britain without proper protection.
However, according to reports, adequate security measures have now been put in place for the Sussexes’ upcoming visit. As a result, the trip appears to be moving ahead.
Prince William ‘unlikely’ to meet Harry during Sussex return
However, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told GB News that the outlook for a meeting with William remains bleak. He said William feels “deeply betrayed” and is “unlikely” to want a meeting with Harry and Meghan.
According to Fitzwilliams, Harry’s wider plan for the visit is already taking shape. He said: “They want the king to attend the opening of the Invictus Games in Birmingham next year, perhaps to actually open it, very possibly with Queen Camilla attending too. This will obviously present problems.”
Even so, Fitzwilliams suggested King Charles may take a softer line. He said the king will “naturally want to see his grandchildren in July and may well see them all”.
That matters because the king serves as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Meanwhile, Invictus remains a major military charity event, so royal involvement would carry clear significance.
Invictus Games hopes tied closely to Harry’s UK visit
The Birmingham games next summer will bring together wounded, injured and sick military personnel and veterans from around the world for adaptive sports competition. Therefore, Harry’s appearance in Britain is not only personal but also closely linked to the future profile of the event.
Fitzwilliams gave a blunt assessment of the strategy behind the visit. He said: “It’s a trap of sorts, but of course it’s a legitimate one. It is, in reality, a gigantic publicity stunt.”
Even so, he also made clear that William is not expected to play along. On the other hand, he said the Prince of Wales is still unlikely to want contact with his brother.
Royal rift still clouds Harry and Meghan’s UK return
The brothers’ feud has dragged on for years and, so far, shows no sign of ending. After Harry and Meghan quit royal duties in 2020, their tell-all interviews and his memoir Spare have reportedly damaged relations with his family.
Harry is believed to want closer ties with his family, especially for the sake of his children, who do not have a relationship with their cousins.
Yet Fitzwilliams argued that warmer royal relations would also help the Sussexes themselves. He said: “Since their only claim to fame is their links with the monarchy, it would be of enormous benefit to them to have cordial relations after they brutally savaged the royals on Oprah, the Netflix series and his memoir Spare. William reportedly feels deeply betrayed. The king is rumoured to be more emollient.”
As reported in GB News, the coming trip could give Harry a chance to reconnect with some relatives. However, according to Fitzwilliams, any meeting with William still looks “unlikely”.
Representatives for Kensington Palace have been contacted for comment.