Harry planned heart-to-heart on Charles visit but was blocked as royal aides feared ‘they’d never get rid of him’

18 February 2024, 10:51 | Updated: 18 February 2024, 14:44

The Duke of Sussex was ‘blocked’ from having a heart-to-heart with the King by Palace aides during his visit to the UK over fears ‘they’d never get rid of him’, it has been claimed.

Prince Harry had reportedly hoped to join King Charles for a few days at Sandringham during his trip to the UK earlier this month.

But according to royal insiders, the Duke was told to visit King Charles’ London home, Clarence House, and was limited to a fleeting face-to-face meeting with his father.

He was also later told to get himself a hotel for the evening, sources added.

Harry “took it upon himself” to make a return to London following the news of his father’s cancer diagnosis and a personal call from Charles to break the news.

Upon his arrival, however, the Duke spent just 30 minutes with his father as Charles had delayed his visit to Sandringham with Queen Camilla to have a brief chat with his son.

“Harry came over to see his father, expecting to go to Sandringham. But instead he was asked to be at Clarence House and was restricted to 30 minutes,” an insider told The Sun.

“The fear was that if he went to Sandringham they would never get rid of him.”

Just six minutes after their chat, the King and Queen departed for their trip to Sandringham.

Harry then spent an evening in a London hotel and headed back to his wife Meghan and their two children in California the next day.

It is understood Harry’s visit was regarded by Buckingham Palace as a kind “gesture” and “cause for optimism”.

It comes after Prince Harry said he was “grateful” to have spent time with his father, speaking to a TV station earlier this week.

The Duke had been visiting Whistler, Canada, with Meghan where he took part in bobsledding and sit-skiing as they promoted the next Invictus Games, which for the first time will feature winter sports.

A TV crew from Good Morning America followed Harry and Meghan during the trip.

Speaking to a presenter on Friday, asked how the trip home was for him “emotionally”, Harry said: “Um, look, I love my family. The fact that I was able to get on a plane and go and see him and spend any time with him, I'm grateful for that."

Presenter Will Reeve, the son of Superman star Christopher Reeve, who was paralysed after an accident, said: "I've also found in my own life that sort of an illness in the family can have a galvanising or a sort of reunifying effect for a family. Is that possible in this case?"

Harry said: "Absolutely. Yeah, I'm sure. Throughout all these families I see it on a day-to-day basis, again, the strength of the family unit coming together. I think any illness, any sickness brings families together."

The Duke also revealed that he has considered becoming a US citizen in the interview and has "no idea" what has stopped him from doing it.