Harry’s tea with Charles may very well be ‘small’ step to reconciliation

[ad_1] Daniela Relph Senior royal correspondent

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/1031/live/79b32320-8ea0-11f0-b391-6936825093bd.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/1031/live/79b32320-8ea0-11f0-b391-6936825093bd.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/1031/live/79b32320-8ea0-11f0-b391-6936825093bd.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/1031/live/79b32320-8ea0-11f0-b391-6936825093bd.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/1031/live/79b32320-8ea0-11f0-b391-6936825093bd.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/1031/live/79b32320-8ea0-11f0-b391-6936825093bd.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/1031/live/79b32320-8ea0-11f0-b391-6936825093bd.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/1031/live/79b32320-8ea0-11f0-b391-6936825093bd.jpg.webp" loading="eager" alt="Reuters Prince Harry - a slightly-balding man with red hair and a red beard waves as he steps into a dark coloured car. He wears a pale blue shirt and a navy blue suit, with a brown beaded bracelet." class="sc-86c96223-0 fHZDyi"/> Reuters Prince Harry waving after attending a charity engagement in west London earlier than his assembly with the King

Prince Harry has met his father King Charles at Clarence Home in London on Wednesday for his or her first head to head assembly since February 2024.

The clues have been scattered everywhere in latest months.

In his BBC interview in Might, there was a definite shift in tone from the prince.

After the years of uncooked, emotional media appearances, the Netflix documentary collection, the searing criticism of the royal household in his memoir Spare, this was a distinct Prince Harry in entrance of the cameras.

"I'd love a reconciliation with my household," he mentioned. "There isn't any level in persevering with to battle anymore. Life is valuable."

Prince Harry had made his place clear. He needed to see his father however was the King feeling the identical method?

{A photograph} within the Mail on Sunday in July confirmed the media communications group representing Prince Harry assembly in London with the King's communications director. Two rival camps coming collectively and the picture discovering its method onto the entrance web page of a nationwide newspaper.

Either side denied leaking the picture however what it did was present there was a dialogue. A channel of communication between each camps had opened.

And there was a unified silence from either side in latest days that has additionally been telling.

Neither facet can be drawn on a date or time of any reunion.

We had been making educated guesses on when father and son may meet primarily based on gaps of their diaries and who was planning to be the place geographically.

In a household fallout riddled with distrust and rancour, the 2 camps stayed very tight lipped about the potential of a gathering.

Their mutual silence held.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/affa/live/37d355a0-84fb-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/affa/live/37d355a0-84fb-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/affa/live/37d355a0-84fb-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/affa/live/37d355a0-84fb-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/affa/live/37d355a0-84fb-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/affa/live/37d355a0-84fb-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/affa/live/37d355a0-84fb-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/affa/live/37d355a0-84fb-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="PA/Reuters A split image showing the faces of Prince Harry and King Charles. Both wear blue blazers and light shirts." class="sc-86c96223-0 fHZDyi"/> PA/Reuters Prince Harry has been within the UK this week for charity occasions, however has known as the US dwelling since 2020.

He has not seen King Charles in particular person since February 2024. The final time that they had been collectively was quickly after the King's most cancers analysis when Prince Harry got here to the UK for a short assembly.

When the reunion lastly occurred on Wednesday afternoon each Buckingham Palace and Prince Harry's group had been aligned afterwards when it comes to stressing to the media that there can be no remark or steerage on the element of conversations had on the assembly.

The Palace later confirmed that the King had a non-public tea along with his son that lasted about 50 minutes, throughout a go to to the royal residence.

Afterwards he mentioned of the King "sure, he is nice" in response to reporters' questions.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/badc/live/919fb6f0-8eba-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/badc/live/919fb6f0-8eba-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/badc/live/919fb6f0-8eba-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/badc/live/919fb6f0-8eba-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/badc/live/919fb6f0-8eba-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/badc/live/919fb6f0-8eba-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/badc/live/919fb6f0-8eba-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/badc/live/919fb6f0-8eba-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="TOBY SHEPHEARD/AFP via Getty Images Duke of Sussex leaves Clarence House in London on 10 September in back of car after his meeting with King Charles " class="sc-86c96223-0 fHZDyi"/> TOBY SHEPHEARD/AFP through Getty Pictures Prince Harry was photographed being pushed away from Clarence Home after Wednesday's assembly

All of it simply felt like one thing had barely shifted.

If Prince Harry had left the UK with out seeing his father, it was arduous to see how that relationship can be rebuilt.

It might have been damaging for either side.

What occurs subsequent is extra unsure. We're method off any full household reconciliation.

There have been no indicators of Prince Harry assembly Prince William throughout this week, with the brothers finishing up separate preparations.

Prince Harry leaves the UK as we speak. We do not know when he'll be again.

He departs having sat in a room along with his father over a cup of tea for the primary time in additional than a 12 months and a half.

Making peace could be a lengthy and and bumpy highway. These are small however vital steps.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/ef34/live/a99f61b0-109d-11f0-b234-07dc7691c360.png.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/ef34/live/a99f61b0-109d-11f0-b234-07dc7691c360.png.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/ef34/live/a99f61b0-109d-11f0-b234-07dc7691c360.png.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/ef34/live/a99f61b0-109d-11f0-b234-07dc7691c360.png.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/ef34/live/a99f61b0-109d-11f0-b234-07dc7691c360.png.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/ef34/live/a99f61b0-109d-11f0-b234-07dc7691c360.png.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/ef34/live/a99f61b0-109d-11f0-b234-07dc7691c360.png.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/ef34/live/a99f61b0-109d-11f0-b234-07dc7691c360.png.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Thin, purple banner promoting the Royal Watch newsletter with text saying, “Insider stories and expert analysis in your inbox every week”. There is also a graphic of a fleur-de-lis in white. " class="sc-86c96223-0 fHZDyi"/> [ad_2] Source link