LONDON — King Charles III met privately with his younger son, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and his family on Friday in their first gathering in years, as both sides took a step toward repairing long-standing tensions within the royal family.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, along with the couple’s children, Prince Archie of Sussex and Princess Lilibet of Sussex, joined the meeting with the king and Queen Camilla at Highgrove House, Buckingham Palace confirmed.
Harry had returned to the United Kingdom earlier in the week for charity engagements, prompting widespread speculation over whether he would reunite with his father and whether Meghan and their children would join him.
The private visit came after scheduling challenges surrounding the king’s official engagements and followed reports of confusion over accommodations at Buckingham Palace during Harry’s stay.
The reunion also occurred days after Harry lost his final privacy lawsuit against the publisher of the Daily Mail, with a judge ruling that he failed to prove claims of privacy violations.
Relations between Harry and the royal family have remained strained since he and Meghan stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and relocated to California. Tensions deepened following the publication of Harry’s memoir, Spare, which included criticism of several senior royals, including Queen Camilla.
Harry has repeatedly expressed hope for reconciliation, particularly as King Charles undergoes treatment for cancer.
The meeting also allowed Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, to spend time with their grandfather. Buckingham Palace said the gathering was private, and no photographs from the visit will be released.
