Charles and Camilla Attend Crathie Kirk Service as Talks Grow of First Public Harry Appearance in Six Years

King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrived for Sunday service at Crathie Kirk in good spirits, as reports emerged that the monarch plans his first public appearance with Prince Harry in six years.

The royal couple were driven to the Balmoral-area church, with Camilla wearing a teal coat paired with a tartan scarf and a green scarf adorned with a feather, while Charles wore a three-piece tweed suit. The outing comes amid a flurry of royal activity and follows a busy stretch in which the king hosted visiting U.S. leaders and engaged in diplomacy abroad.

In parallel with these weekend engagements, reports have circulated that discussions are under way to gradually bring Charles and Harry together for a public appearance in the coming months—the first such event in six years, according to the Mail on Sunday. The discussions, if they proceed, would mark a cautious, staged effort to bridge a rift that has widened since Harry and his wife Meghan stepped back from senior royal duties in 2020.

The development comes as Britain played host to a high-profile state visit by U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. Trump’s visit featured pomp and pageantry, including a state dinner at Windsor Castle and meetings with the king. In remarks after their talks, Trump praised what he called the “special relationship” between the United States and the United Kingdom, and observers noted that Washington appears eager for a future royal engagement in the United Kingdom.

Officials and royal aides have signaled that any plan for a joint public appearance would be carefully sequenced, with likely emphasis on shared charitable or diplomatic aims rather than a full-blown royal reconnection. A senior White House official circulating in coverage of the Trump trip said the U.S. side viewed the visit as a benchmark for tightly choreographed diplomacy and noted that the British know how to stage such moments, potentially setting the stage for more expansive celebrations tied to future milestones.

Meanwhile, Prince Harry himself has been in Britain on separate business. Earlier this month he spent about 55 minutes in a private tea with his father, marking their first in-person encounter in 19 months since Harry traveled to the U.K. to visit Charles during his illness. Those familiar with the meeting described it as cordial and constructive, though not a rehabilitation of the broader rift between Harry and the monarchy. Harry’s charity work and public appearances around mental health and youth empowerment have continued to form the backbone of his public schedule, including involvement with The Diana Award.

After that visit, Harry flew to other commitments and then traveled onward to Ukraine, rather than returning to Los Angeles as previously planned. In Windsor, aides to both the king and Harry stressed that the aim of any potential reconciliation remains uncertain, and that no formal plans for a joint engagement had been announced. A spokesman for Harry said he had enjoyed being back in the U.K., reconnecting with old colleagues and supporting causes important to him, while cautioning that a broader reconciliation would take time and would depend on many factors.

The broader royal narrative around these developments has included reflections on past tensions and the ongoing dialogue within royal circles. Senior aides who have previously mapped out channels for communication were photographed together in London in July, an indicator of ongoing, albeit cautious, efforts to keep lines open between the Sussexes and the wider royal family.

As the royal calendar moves forward, observers will watch closely for any announcements about future appearances, including the possibility of a joint public event between Charles and Harry. The coming weeks and months will be closely scrutinized for signs of a thaw, or a continued near-term consolidation of separate royal pathways that, for now, remain distinct but interconnected within the broader framework of the monarchy.