King ‘too busy’ to meet Prince Harry, Sussex team claims

The Duke is greeted by Musketeers at the Invictus Games Foundation Conversation at the Honourable Artillery Company on Tuesday – Chris Jackson/Getty Images for The Invictus Games Foundation

The Duke of Sussex has revealed that he is unable to see his father, the King, this week due to the monarch’s busy diary.

Prince Harry, 39, landed in London on Tuesday morning and had made no secret of his hopes to see his father during the visit.

But a spokesperson for the Duke said: “In response to the many inquiries and continued speculation on whether or not the Duke will meet with his father while in the UK this week, it, unfortunately, will not be possible due to His Majesty’s full programme.

“The Duke of course is understanding of his father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon.”

Prince Harry is expected to spend the rest of Tuesday in meetings connected to the Invictus Games.

On Wednesday, he will attend a service of Thanksgiving marking the 10th anniversary of the Games at St Paul’s Cathedral, where he will give a reading.

The Duke with Dominic Reid OBE, CEO of the Invictus Games Foundation – Chris Jackson/Getty Images for The Invictus Games Foundation

Buckingham Palace has highlighted the King’s “busy” diary this week, which is said to leave little room for manoeuvre.

He has meetings on Wednesday morning and is expected to attend a Buckingham Palace garden party on Wednesday afternoon followed by his weekly audience with Rishi Sunak.

On Thursday, he has a public engagement outside of London. He is also continuing with his cancer treatment, which involves regular hospital appointments.

The Duke’s first stop on arrival in the capital was the Honourable Artillery Company’s headquarters on the edge of the City of London, for a one-day summit called the Invictus Games Foundation Conversation.

Prince Harry warmly greets Sir Keith Mills GBE DL, former deputy chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games – Chris Jackson/Getty Images for The Invictus Games Foundation

In the foreword for the summit programme, Harry wrote: “It has been an honour to watch the Invictus Games Foundation grow over the years; what began as a vision to pay tribute to the courage and resilience of wounded, injured, and sick service personnel and veterans, has flourished into an international organisation built on hope, strength, and unity.

“As we look ahead to the first winter hybrid Games at Vancouver Whistler 2025 next year, we are eager to celebrate the Invictus Spirit once again – exemplified in every single competitor, staff, friend and family member – your commitment, enthusiasm and belief, have been the driving force behind our continued success.”

He added: “Together, we have created a legacy that transcends sports; a community that embraces compassion, respect, and the unyielding belief in the power of the human spirit. As we celebrate this milestone, let us recommit to the Invictus mission.”

‘Invictus transcends borders’

The Duke told delegates that the Games would continue for “as long as it is serving a purpose.”

He added: “The root cause of the problem is conflict and I can’t fix that.

“So we will always be here to be able to spread the message, tell the stories, change the perspectives and help as many people as humanly possible, because Invictus transcends borders, transcends politics.”

Prince Harry reflected on how much had been achieved in the last decade, saying: “Sometimes you… look back and go ‘Look at what we’ve done’.

“But also given the state of the world, there is so much more to do and I think a lot of uncertainty – but what we’ve created is a global community.”

The Duke is expected to be in London for three days before flying to Nigeria, where he will be joined by his wife, Meghan, for a quasi-royal tour.

Although it was Invictus Games commitments that brought him back to the UK, he had fervently hoped the visit would also allow him to catch up with his father.

The Prince appeared in good spirits as he met BBC TV presenter Louise Minchin – Chris Jackson/Getty Images for The Invictus Games Foundation

The Duke last saw the King in February when he made a dash across the Atlantic to visit him in the wake of his cancer diagnosis and appeared buoyed by a 30-minute reunion at Clarence House.

But the meeting was far from plain sailing, with plans changed at the last minute and the Duke unable to travel to Sandringham with his father as he had hoped.

In an interview with a US breakfast show from Whistler, Canada, a few days later, he spoke about how sickness could bring families together.

“I love my family. And the fact that I was able to get on a plane and go and see [my father] and spend any time with him, I’m grateful for that,” he said.

The Duke declined to divulge any information regarding his father’s health, saying: “That stays between me and him.”

But he vowed he would visit him in the near future. “I’ve got other trips planned that would take me through the UK or back to the UK, so I’ll stop in and see my family as much as I can,” he added.

The fact that the two sides were unable to align their diaries will dash hopes that long-fractured relations are on the mend.

The Duke is keen to resume ties after a rocky few years that have seen him increasingly estranged from the Royal family due to a series of public disclosures and accusations.

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