Prince Harry will have ‘no choice’ but to face King Charles III and Prince William during his upcoming UK visit, a royal expert has said.
The Duke of Sussex is due to return to the UK in early May for a celebration marking ten years of the Invictus Games, including a special service at St. Paul’s Cathedral on 8th May.
Despite the strained relations with his brother and father, Harry may feel compelled to meet with the Royal Family rather than concoct reasons to dodge an uncomfortable encounter, one expert says.
Royal author Tom Quinn revealed to The Mirror: “Barring a major upset, Harry will certainly return to the UK for the Invictus games in May it’s his baby. If he decides not to come, it will take some explaining, because everyone will assume it’s because he doesn’t want the awkwardness of having to meet his brother or having to choose not to meet him.”
Quinn added: “Not coming would be worse than finding some sort of compromise where Harry sees William for 10 minutes or comes up with some reason why he doesn’t have time to see his brother and his father and has to get back to the States quickly to be with his children. But no one is going to be fooled by these excuses.”
Prince Harry’s return to the UK could be fraught with tension following his unsuccessful legal case against the Home Office and RAVEC earlier this year concerning his downgraded security status after stepping back from royal duties, reports the Mirror.
Earlier this year, the Duke suffered a defeat at the UK High Court in his quest to reverse a decision that lowered his security standing when he ceased to be a “working royal”. This was pursued out of concern for his safety, as well as that of his wife and children.
His legal team had relayed to the court, “The claimant’s consistent position has been, and remains, that he should be given state security in light of the threats/risks he faces.”
It remains uncertain whether Meghan Markle will accompany her husband on this trip to the UK. The Duchess has seldom visited the UK since she and Harry retreated from their Royal roles in 2020, her last appearance being Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022.
But she has appeared alongside Harry at a number of recent Invictus Games events, so it’s possible she could make an appearance.
Notably, she was absent from King Charles III’s coronation last year, which Prince Harry attended by himself.
