Prince Harry Gives 5-Word Response About His Meeting With Father King Charles After Their First Encounter in 18 Months

Prince Harry and his father, King Charles, reunited for the first time in 18 months on Wednesday, September 10. The Duke of Sussex arrived at Clarence House in London at 5:20 p.m. local time before leaving roughly 54 minutes later.

After their private meeting, Harry rushed to an event at The Gherkin, where he spoke about his plans for the future of his Invictus movement. He was then asked by a reporter about his encounter with his father, prompting him to give a brief five-word response.

“Yes, he’s great. Thank you,” Harry kindly shared of the king.

Harry was scheduled for four days of public appearances for various organizations and charities during his travels to the U.K. Although he has returned to his home country multiple times since 2020 – when he stepped down from his royal duties — this trip marked the first time he has seen Charles since his cancer diagnosis was announced in February 2024.

In July, aides for both the Duke of Sussex and the king met in London to orchestrate a plan to reunite the father and son after years of estrangement. Harry expressed his yearning to “reconcile” with the patriarch during a shocking BBC interview in May, ultimately leading to their unification.

Following their one-hour meeting, a royal source explained to a news outlet how “this is an important first step towards rebuilding” their relationship. However, the source noted that Charles won’t be speaking publicly about seeing his youngest child — and hopes his son will remain coy about it as well.

“He has told his father he won’t be giving any interviews about it, and his team have been instructed not to brief journalists about what was said,” the insider shared. “There’s a long way to go before Harry can earn his family’s trust, but he’s given some assurances.”

Another source shared with an outlet that Charles would like to be an active presence in the lives of Harry and Meghan Markle’s children, Archie, 6, and Lilibet, 4.

“The King wants to be a grandfather to his grandchildren, so that’s an important pull,” the royal insider dished.

The source added how Harry appears ready to put the past behind him and embrace the royal family for the sake of his father’s longing. “It's become clear that Harry now regrets some of his actions,” they said. “He wants to reset his relationship with his family and with the people of the U.K. It’s hard to see him ever coming back to live in Britain, but this may be the start of something that at least allows them to be a functioning wider family again.”