Prince Harry made a secret visit to Kensington Palace to see the grieving Duke of Kent during his four-day visit to the UK earlier this month.
The Duke of Sussex interrupted his packed schedule, which included his first meeting with his father, King Charles, in 18 months, to ‘personally pay his respects and offer condolences’ to Prince Edward after the Duchess of Kent’s death.
While Harry, who returned to his adopted home of Montecito, Los Angeles, after visiting Ukraine, did not join the rest of the royal family at the duchess’s funeral on September 16, he saw his father’s second cousin Edward, 89, privately at Kensington Palace, according to Hello!.
A source told the publication that Harry regretted not being able to stay in the UK longer to ‘see more people’ but that it was important for him to uphold his meetings in Ukraine, where his Invictus Games Foundation is helping to rehabilitate veterans.
‘He has loved catching up with family, friends and colleagues,’ the source confirmed to the outlet.
‘The whole trip felt like a real success for everyone involved. His passion for his patronages and the causes he cares about hasn’t dimmed one bit – he’s already buzzing to get back and do more.’
During his UK visit, Harry met Charles, 76, face-to-face for the first time in a year and a half, with the Duke of Sussex emerging from the 50-minute meeting in good spirits and sharing that his father was doing well.
Now, high-level talks are under way to gradually bring King Charles and Prince Harry together in a public show of unity for the first time in at least six years, the Mail of Sunday revealed today.
Prince Harry (pictured in London earlier this month) made a secret visit to the grieving Duke of Kent during his four-day trip to the UK earlier this month
In the strongest indication yet that the Duke of Sussex is making positive steps towards a reconciliation with senior royals, it is understood that courtiers in both households are tentatively discussing how to get father and son together more frequently over the next year, with a view to them finally appearing jointly at a public event.
The news comes as Harry and wife Meghan made a surprise joint appearance at Kevin Costner’s starry charity event in Santa Barbara on Saturday.
Former Suits actress Meghan, 44, joined her husband at the ‘Rock for First Responders’ One805LIVE! concert, which took place at the Yellowstone actor’s oceanside estate – with other celebrities in attendance, including Oprah Winfrey.
The last time Harry and his father appeared on their own and happy together at an official engagement was in April 2019 at the ‘Our Planet’ global premiere in the Natural History Museum in London.
Since Harry stepped down from royal duties in 2020, they have only been pictured with other family members at the state funerals of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth.
An appearance together of the King and Harry would be interpreted as thawing of their relationship and the acceptance of the Harry, Meghan and their children Archie, six, and Lilibet, four – back into the royal fold after several years of bitter recrimination between Harry and his family.
The move comes as relations allegedly sour between the King and the Prince of Wales amid claims Charles is ‘unhappy’ that William’s workload is less than his own. In turn, his heir is said to be angry about the meeting with Harry.
Despite the cautious positive steps, Harry is said to be ‘realistic’ that some reputational damage from the last few years is irreversible.
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, is pictured at the funeral for his late wife, Katharine, Duchess of Kent, on Tuesday, September 6
Pictured: The last time King Charles and Prince Harry appeared on their own together at an official engagement in April 2019, at the ‘Our Planet’ global premiere in the Natural History Museum in London
But after last week, many royal commentators agreed that Harry was back in his element, meeting the public and larking around for the cameras with children.
The warm public reaction to him did not go unnoticed at the Palace, sources insisted, where working members of the Royal Family – particularly those keen to do the bread-and-butter public engagements – are in short supply.
A source said: ‘Harry’s visit to the UK was not about trying to show up or compete with his brother – in fact, the opposite.
‘It was to remind William that Harry can be there to take some of the load off, given some of the criticism William has received for carrying out a lower number of engagements than his father.
‘That doesn’t need to be as part of the ‘working’ Royal Family. It can just be doing what he loves to do and does best – supporting causes close to them both, such as the Diana Award and conservation.
‘More than anything, though, he wants to see his father more. He wants to make him proud and be there to support him through his treatment.’
Elsewhere, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are also due to feature in an ABC News show marking 70 years of Disneyland.
Montecito-based Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will star in The Happiest Story on Earth: 70 Years of Disneyland, which airs today.
Harry and Meghan addressed the crowds at the starry charity event in Santa Barbara on Saturday (pictured)
The programme will explore Disneyland’s history while explaining what the future holds for the theme park.
Alongside the royals, Neil Patrick Harris, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Jon Favreau will feature in the special show.
According to People, Harry and Meghan discuss what Disneyland means to them and their children, Archie and Lilibet, in the show.
In June, Meghan and Harry whisked themselves and their two children away for a memorable family trip to Disneyland.
The Duchess of Sussex uploaded an Instagram post that included special moments from their visit to the Happiest Place on Earth to celebrate their daughter Lillibet’s fourth birthday.
Meghan’s video montage from the Sussexes’ two-day Disneyland vacation showed them enjoying numerous rides – including the Dumbo the Flying Elephant and the Cars – at the theme park.
One snippet showed both Lillibet and their son Archie, six, having the chance to meet Disney princess Elsa from Frozen.
The couple – who tied the knot in 2018 – were spotted having a blast of their own as they sat at the front while on Space Mountain together.
They later built up an appetite and one picture was taken to show a pile of corndogs and pickles on a table.
Lillibet also received a Little Mermaid-themed cake that was covered in hues of blue sugary frosting while ‘Happy Birthday Lili’ was written in pink icing.
