Charles III and Harry, both in London, avoid each other despite the sovereign’s illness

A meeting was “unfortunately” not “possible due to the very busy schedule” of Charles III, said a spokesperson for Harry.

One in the green gardens of Buckingham Palace, the other under the imposing dome of Saint Paul’s Cathedral. Charles III and his son Harry appeared a few kilometers from each other in London (United Kingdom), Wednesday May 8, without reunion despite the sovereign’s cancer. The gap now seems yawning and the resentment difficult to overcome between the Duke of Sussex, who lives in California, and the rest of the royal family.

Expectations had, however, been revived by the successive announcements since the start of the year of cancers striking the 75-year-old sovereign and Kate, popular wife of William, the heir to the throne and Harry’s older brother, who have plunged the monarchy back into a period of turbulence less than two years after the death of Elizabeth II. Withdrawal from royalty since 2020, Harry rushed on the plane to cross the Atlantic at the beginning of February after the announcement of his father’s illness. He was then entitled to less than an hour with the king leaving for his country residence.

Minimal communication

Passing through London to attend a ceremony for the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, an international competition for wounded soldiers, in which he is very involved, the prince was entitled to an even colder welcome. As of Tuesday, a spokesperson for the prince explained that a meeting with his father would not be “unfortunately not possible due to the very busy schedule” of Charles III: “The Duke (…) hopes to see him soon”.

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The king, crowned a little over a year ago, is undergoing treatment for his unspecified cancer, detected in January after a benign prostate operation. But his doctors considered the progress sufficient for him to resume his public activities last week. All smiles under the bright sun, the king, in a light gray frock coat, launched the series of traditional summer “garden parties” on Wednesday in the gardens of Buckingham Palace, shaking hands and exchanging a few words with the guests.

Harry, who once again came without Meghan and their two children, arrived late in the afternoon, medals pinned to his jacket, at a religious service in honor of the Invictus Games at Saint Paul’s Cathedral, where his parents Charles and Diana married in 1981. He was then due to visit Nigeria with his wife.