Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has been no stranger to frequent flyer miles over the past few years. This week, he will once again make the journey from Los Angeles to London, traveling in the comfort of first class. While his wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, avoids the jet lag and the cold reception from a nation that has grown increasingly critical of them, Harry will be making his 11th trip back to the UK in just over three years.
This time, Harry’s return to his homeland is to attend a May 8 service at St. Paul’s Church, marking the 10th anniversary of his highly successful Invictus Games. This event should be a celebratory moment for the 39-year-old, a testament to a decade of positively impacting countless lives. However, this visit is set to be unlike any other.
Since Harry’s last visit to the UK in February, the royal family has been rocked by devastating news. King Charles announced that he had been diagnosed with cancer, followed by the equally shocking revelation that Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, is also battling the disease. This means that Harry’s usual quick in-and-out trip might not be feasible this time.
Typically, Harry’s visits to the UK follow a predictable pattern. He arrives with the tabloids tracking his every move, is whisked out of Heathrow in a private car, and spends a brief 24 to 48 hours attending specific events before rushing back to the United States. However, this time, the dynamics are different.
Harry is unlikely to visit his sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, during this trip. Reports suggest that Kate has all but cut off communication with him, and King Charles is not particularly eager to see his son either. Kate’s attitude towards a meeting with Harry can be summed up by Princess Anne’s famous response to a kidnapper in 1974: “Not bloody likely.”
A friend of Kate and Prince William revealed that both sides now clearly understand each other’s positions. William and Kate felt deeply betrayed by Harry’s memoir “Spare,” and they have no intention of rekindling their relationship, especially when Kate is at her most vulnerable. After Kate announced in late March that she is undergoing preventive chemotherapy, the Sussexes issued a statement that failed to mention her title, William, or their children, simply wishing her “health and healing.”
A former friend of Harry and current friend of William stated that we shouldn’t expect any emotional reunion or heart-to-heart between the Wales and Sussex families. “Harry is just another person who sold his story to the papers. A ‘get well soon’ message is neither here nor there,” the friend said. “But the whole situation doesn’t use up a huge amount of their mental energy anymore. William and Kate have accepted it and moved on.”
Harry might receive a slightly warmer reception from his father, King Charles, than from the Wales family. The Telegraph’s Victoria Ward reported that the King “will make time to see his son if he is able,” indicating that the 75-year-old sovereign is not particularly eager to spend time with his son. Buckingham Palace has already hinted at how full Charles’ schedule is when Harry is in town, suggesting that any meeting between father and son will be brief and not particularly meaningful.
It’s extraordinary to think that just six years ago, the world was eagerly anticipating Harry and Meghan’s wedding. Their union on May 19 was celebrated as a fairytale, with many viewing them as the great hopes of the monarchy. Yet, as Harry arrives in London this week, he will find that his father and sister-in-law have little to no time for him. He will also be forced to stay in a hotel, having lost access to a royal residence and stripped of his police protection.
No man is an island, as John Donne wrote, but a duke who has managed to burn every bridge in sight? That is another matter entirely.
