Prince Harry visited the late Queen Elizabeth II’s grave moments after touching down as he returned to Britain for the first time in five months today – amid hopes he could stage a reunion with King Charles.
The Duke of Sussex touched down at Heathrow Airport this morning, but has made the transatlantic trip on his own while Meghan stays in California with their children, Archie and Lilibet.
Harry’s trip to the UK, which includes four days of official engagements, will be his longest since he and Meghan visited in 2022 when Queen Elizabeth II died.
The duke visited his late grandmother’s grave at St George’s Chapel, at Windsor Castle, shortly after touching down as he marks the third anniversary of her death.
He was last in the UK in April when he lost his legal challenge over the level of security protection he receives from the Government while he is in Britain – after he and Meghan stepped down as working royals and moved to California in 2020.
Harry was appealing a ruling dismissing his challenge to the level of police protection he receives in the UK – but Judge Sir Geoffrey Vos ruled the duke’s ‘sense of grievance’ did not ‘translate into a legal argument’.
Significantly, however, Harry was spotted being picked up at Heathrow by a serving Metropolitan Police officer from the Royalty and Specialist Protection Squad, suggesting he is receiving bespoke police protection in the UK.
Buckingham Palace is remaining tight-lipped on whether the King, who is currently at his Scottish residence in Birkhall, will meet his estranged son for the first time in 19 months.
But recently there has been signs that the fractured relationship is easing and that a reconciliation could be within reach.
Prince Harry visited the late Queen Elizabeth II’s grave moments after touching down as he returned to Britain for the first time in five months today. He is pictured arriving at Windsor Castle
Prince Harry (in car) has returned to Britain for a solo visit with four days of official engagements
The Duke of Sussex (seen at High Court in London in April) touched down at Heathrow Airport this morning, but Meghan has stayed in California with their children, Archie and Lilibet
Buckingham Palace is remaining tight-lipped on whether the King, who is currently at his Scottish residence in Birkhall, will meet his estranged son for the first time in 19 months
The father and son last met in February 2024, when Harry flew to the UK after it was announced that Charles had been diagnosed with cancer.
Harry was earlier pictured arriving at LAX airport, while a Range Rover driven by a serving Met officer appeared to be escorting him out of Heathrow Airport this morning.
The duke was whisked away to Windsor Castle, where he paid his private respects to Queen Elizabeth II by laying a wreath and flowers at her final resting place at St George’s Chapel.
Harry will later attend the WellChild Awards in London, a charity which supports youngsters affected by terminal and serious illness and their families.
He has been its patron for 17 years – even after stepping down as a working royal – and will present an award.
Prince William, who has taken a much firmer line on rekindling of relations with his brother, has official engagements elsewhere on every day of Harry’s visit.
The Prince of Wales is today attending a commemorative event for Queen Elizabeth II’s death anniversary in Sunningdale.
He and the Princess of Wales attended the event which is just 7.4 miles from Windsor Castle – meaning William and Harry were just a 16 minute drive from one another today.
The Prince and Princess of Wales visit the National Federation of Women’s Institute (WI) in Sunningdale today. They are just 7.4 miles from Windsor Castle, where Harry paid his respects to the late Queen
Prince William , who has taken a much firmer line on rekindling of relations with his brother, has official engagements elsewhere on every day of Harry’s visit
On Tuesday, Harry will visit the Community Recording Studio in Nottingham. His team says he will use the visit to announce a ‘substantial donation’ to charity Children in Need to support its work tackling violence impacting young people.
Harry has engagements on Wednesday and Thursday with other charities he is involved in, including the Invictus Games and the Diana Award.
The King has spent most of the summer at his Balmoral estate in Scotland, but is set to be in the capital mid-week for his cancer treatment.
Currently, there is no specified window for a meeting with Charles. However, The Mail on Sunday reported that should an invitation to meet be extended, Harry would drop everything to attend.
A source said: ‘A meeting with Charles is not off the table but the only people who would know about it are Clive Alderton [the King’s private secretary] and Charles and Harry.
‘If anything is planned, then he is keeping this extremely close to his chest. It certainly is part of his intention to see his father.
‘If it’s on Wednesday, then he would make it work.’
