Prince Harry has spoken out for the first time since his long-awaited reunion with King Charles, stressing that “the focus really has to be on my dad” following their private meeting in London last week.
The Duke of Sussex, 41, flew from California to the UK on Monday, September 8, for a four-day visit filled with charitable engagements. But the most anticipated moment came on September 10, when Harry and his father met face-to-face for the first time in 19 months.
The pair spent just under an hour together over tea at Clarence House, their meeting taking place in strict privacy. It marked their first encounter since February 2024, when Harry rushed to the UK after the King revealed his cancer diagnosis.
Harry reflects on reunion in new interview
Days later, during a surprise trip to Ukraine with his Invictus Games Foundation team, Harry reflected on the significance of his time with Charles. Speaking to The Guardian, he stopped short of going into detail but made clear where his priorities now lie.
“Over the coming year, the focus really has to be on my dad,” he said.
Harry also defended his memoir Spare, which had fueled controversy and widened rifts within the family. “I know that [speaking out] annoys some people and it goes against the narrative,” he explained. “The book? It was a series of corrections to stories already out there… I don’t believe that I aired my dirty laundry in public. It was a difficult message, but I did it in the best way possible. My conscience is clear.”
He credited Meghan Markle with encouraging him to “just stick to the truth,” saying it remains “the most efficient way to live.”
‘Loved being back’ in Britain
A spokesperson for Harry told People magazine that the Duke “loved being back” in Britain during his brief trip. Alongside his private reunion with Charles, he attended the Diana Award event, where he paid tribute to his late mother.
“My mother believed in the power and agency of young people to positively impact the world,” he said during his speech. “The Diana Award continues her legacy by putting young people at the heart of everything they do. My message to everyone is don’t stand still, don’t stay silent. Make them hear you, because you speak for the majority.”
Shortly after leaving London on September 11, Harry traveled to Ukraine, where he met with the country’s Minister for Veteran Affairs, Natalia Kalmykova. Together they discussed how Invictus could expand support for wounded veterans. His trip came as the Sussexes’ Archewell Foundation announced a $500,000 (£369,000) donation to help injured children in both Gaza and Ukraine.
Royal rift still unresolved
Despite the symbolic weight of Harry’s meeting with his father, royal experts caution that the wider family rift is far from healed. Prince William did not join the tea at Clarence House, and the brothers are not believed to have seen each other at all during Harry’s stay.
The Duke has since returned home to California, where Meghan and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, were waiting. Whether his brief reunion with Charles marks the first step toward a wider reconciliation remains uncertain — but for Harry, at least, the message is clear: his father now comes first.