Prince Harry rebuts reports of tense reunion with King Charles, calling claims categorically false
Spokesperson for the duke says recent reporting about the September 10 meeting at Clarence House was inaccurate; the 55-minute encounter was described as a private reconciliation effort.
Prince Harry on Monday pushed back on reports that his September meeting with King Charles III felt cold or formal, calling the narratives categorically false. A spokesman for the Duke of Sussex told Fox News Digital that recent reporting on the tone of the meeting is inaccurate, and that “the quotes attributed to him are pure invention fed, one can only assume, by sources intent on sabotaging any reconciliation between father and son.” The denial followed a Sun report that described Harry’s private tea with Charles at Clarence House on Sept. 10 as “distinctly formal,” likening the visit to that of an official visitor rather than a son reconnecting with his father.
The Sept. 10 encounter at Clarence House lasted about 55 minutes and marked the first in-person meeting between Harry and the king since February 2024, a period spanning more than a year. Harry confirmed that a photograph had been handed to Charles during the reunion, but said the image did not feature the Duke or Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle. “While we would have preferred such details to remain private, for the sake of clarity, we can confirm that a framed photograph was handed over, however, the image did not contain the Duke and Duchess,” his representative told Fox News Digital.
The Sun’s account of a distinctly formal atmosphere stood in contrast to the timing of Harry’s visit, which occurred during a trip to Britain for charity events. Earlier that day, Harry had quietly returned to the U.K. for the visit, and on Sept. 8 he marked the third anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death by visiting St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, where he laid flowers at his grandmother’s grave.
The reconciliation narrative has been complicated by a broader rift within the royal household. People magazine and other outlets reported that Charles had recently paused communications with Harry, and that Harry and his brother, Prince William, were not seen together during the UK trip. Royal experts told Fox News Digital that the brothers remain not on speaking terms amid ongoing tensions within the monarchy.
In a separate interview with the BBC in May, Harry said he was ready to end the war of words and expressed a desire to move forward: “I would love reconciliation with my family. There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore,” he said. “I don’t know how much longer my father has.” The duke and duchess, Meghan Markle, stepped back from senior royal duties in 2020 and relocated to California, where they have since lived.
The latest developments come as observers note that a single reunion does not resolve deeper family frictions, including the perceived distance between Charles and Harry, and between Harry and William. Buckingham Palace has not publicly commented on the Sept. 10 meeting, and Fox News Digital did not receive an additional statement from the palace.
Several images accompany this report to illustrate recent appearances related to the family’s evolving relationship.
As the royal family navigates renewed public attention, supporters of reconciliation stress that healing may take time and that private conversations behind closed doors remain crucial. Critics, meanwhile, caution that lingering grievances and differing expectations for visibility will continue to color any future interactions between Harry, Charles, and William. The broader public, accustomed to dramatic royal narratives, will watch closely for any additional steps toward closure or further friction in the months ahead.
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