Prince Harry is back in the U.K. No, not permanently, but the Duke of Sussex has returned to his native soil once more to fulfill a very special duty, fresh off his blistering speeches in New York during UN Week and his attempt to punch an actor in the face on Jimmy Fallon.
The birthday boy himself — Harry turned 40 earlier this month — has had an incredibly busy September, so he’s not expected to spend too long in the U.K. on this occasion. But will he finally reunite with his father, King Charles after failing to meet with him during his two most recent visits in May and August? The answer is unknown right now, but it’s clear that his brother and sister-in-law, Prince William and Kate Middleton, will be there to pick up the slack.
William and Kate vow to spend more time with King Charles, even if Harry fails to reunite with his father for a third time
Harry is briefly back in the U.K. as of Sep. 30 to host the WellChild Awards, an annual awards ceremony for the country’s terminally ill children. The charity is one of Harry’s many philanthropic passion projects, and the duke presents an award at the evening every year. This marks the second time in a row that wife Meghan Markle hasn’t joined him at the event.
It will also mark the third time in a row that he’s come to England without seeing his father, unless a catch-up between the king and his second-born son can be squeezed in before Harry jets off to California. It’s known that Harry and Charles have only seen each other for 45 minutes since the king’s cancer diagnosis at the top of the year — the prince visited his dad in February — so another family reunion is due.
On the other hand, if Harry is unable to make it happen, or perhaps even if the king is unwilling to see him, then at least he has William and Kate around to keep him company. Veteran royal correspondent Jennie Bond reflected to OK! on the significance of the Prince and Princess of Wales visiting Charles in Balmoral, Scotland earlier this month. According to Bond, it’s a sign of how both William and Kate have a “special bond” with the monarch.
“It’s been a few weeks since they’ve been together and I’m sure William in particular feels he wants to stay in close touch with his papa particularly as the King continues his cancer treatment. Catherine and Charles share a truly special bond, undoubtedly strengthened by their shared experience with cancer.”
Their trip to the Scottish highlands wasn’t for the views, then, but because they wanted to let the king know that they are by his side.
“So, it’s not so much Scotland’s enchanting allure that drew them this time, but rather her and William’s desire to spend quality time with the King.”
No wonder we’re hearing that Harry is feeling like he’s been “wounded deeply” by his dad and is not entertaining the idea of coming back to Britain at this time. Then again, the king would probably say the same thing about being kept away from his two young grandchildren. Someone needs to be the first to thaw this family freeze, but who will it be?