Prince Harry rushed to the U.K. on Tuesday to the aid of his ailing father, but was back on U.S. soil within 24 hours and reportedly had no contact with his older brother.
The runaway royal, who has been estranged from the British monarchy after stepping back from his royal duties in early 2020, arrived in London one day after it was announced that King Charles had been diagnosed with cancer.
Royal sources told ET that the 75-year-old head of state, who originally planned to leave the hospital and return to the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, delayed that trip in order to see his son.
“They spent around 30 minutes together as Charles was still a bit tired from the treatment a day prior,” the unidentified source told the outlet. “Prince Harry has now left the U.K. after spending only about 24 hours in London.”
Tuesday’s trek marked the Duke of Sussex’s first time back to his native homeland since September 2023, where he made a rare public appearance at the WellChild Awards. He previously returned to the country to attend King Charles’ coronation in May.
Meanwhile, Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle, and their two children remained in California, which they’ve called home over the past four years.
The 39-year-old “Spare” author reportedly stayed in a hotel rather than in one of the king’s royal residences during his overnight trip.
ABC News royal contributor Robert Jobson floated the idea that the housing snub was due to the royal family holding a grudge over Harry’s bombshell memoir and other explosive media exploits.
“If they can’t even just say, ‘Stay over in the house, in Clarence House, or one of the rooms in Buckingham Palace,’ there are plenty of them, it seems to suggest he’s still very much an outsider,” Jobson said.
Adding to the continued fervor, Harry reportedly did not meet with his estranged brother, Prince William, during Tuesday’s visit.
While Charles reportedly wants to reconcile with Harry amid his cancer battle, the illness is not expected to bring the brothers together, royal expert Katie Nicholl told ET.
William’s wife, Princess of Wales Kate Middleton, has been dealing with her own health issues as of late following abdominal surgery for an undisclosed condition.
