Prince Harry, who flew to the UK from Los Angeles to visit his father, King Charles, following his shock cancer diagnosis, was reportedly snubbed by the monarch and had to spend the night in a public hotel.
According to sources, Harry had requested to stay at Windsor Castle, where his father was waiting, but was turned down by the King, who allegedly wanted to avoid any further tensions with his son.
Harry, who is now based with his family in Montecito, California, must request permission to stay in a royal property, and earlier this year, he and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, 42, had been told by Charles they were no longer able to live at Frogmore Cottage, Windsor.
Prince Harry travelled more than 5,000 miles yesterday to be by his father’s side(Picture: Keith Mayhew/SOPA Images/Shutterstock)
The Duke of Sussex arrived in the UK around 1 pm yesterday, following his 10-and-a-half hour flight after reportedly learning about his father’s diagnosis in a direct phone call. He then met his father at Clarence House for less than 45 minutes before the King was seen racing off to a helicopter waiting a short distance away at Buckingham Palace. He was travelling to Sandringham in Norfolk with his wife, Queen Camilla.
Harry, who’s not expected to stay in London long, chose to spend the night in a luxury hotel in central London rather than at one of the many royal residences available.
A source told The Times Harry would have welcomed a meeting with his brother, the Prince of Wales, during his brief stay, but there are no plans for the two to see each other. The source said: ‘The Duke’s primary reason to travel to the UK is to visit his father. If the opportunity arose to see the Prince of Wales, then the Duke would have gladly accepted it.
Harry’s visit to the UK comes amid ongoing tensions between him and the royal family, following his and Meghan’s explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey last year, in which they accused the monarchy of racism and neglect².
Harry is also set to revisit the UK in January 2024 to mark the first anniversary of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II’s death, along with other royal family members.
However, it remains unclear whether he will be able to reconcile with his father and brother, who he said were ‘trapped’ in the institution of the monarchy².
