Harry's Quick Reaction To King Charles' Cancer Diagnosis Proves Love Is Stronger Than Their Drama
The forward-facing nature and centuries-old history of the British monarchy makes it easy to forget that its members aren't just colleagues, but also family. However, news of Harry, Duke of Sussex, rushing to the U.K. mere hours after King Charles III's cancer diagnosis was announced proves that these two public figures are still father and son. And at the end of the day, no public scandals, drama, or politics can change that.
Shortly after Buckingham Palace released a statement on King Charles' health, a Range Rover believed to belong to the Duke of Sussex was seen pulling into a private terminal at LAX, per Express. Eleven hours later, The Guardian reported that two black SUVs left London's Heathrow Airport's VIP Windsor suite and later arrived at Clarence House, the London residence of King Charles and Camilla.
Harry last visited his family and home country in May 2023 for his father's coronation. Despite the drama surrounding Harry and his family in recent years, this overnight visit seems to be a subtle sign that King Charles' diagnosis is opening the door for his son.
Harry's urgency seems to reflect a strengthening relationship with his father
Although Harry, Duke of Sussex, has spent little time in the U.K. since his departure from the royal family with his wife, Meghan Markle, the youngest of King Charles' two sons wasted no time flying to London to see his father. Harry made the trip alone, leaving Markle to care for their two young children in southern California. The BBC reported that the urgency with which Harry flew to the U.K. to visit his father seems telling.
The British news outlet also stated that Harry and his older brother, William, Prince of Wales, were both informed of their father's diagnosis before the news broke. Harry's inclusion in family matters immediately following the announcement is a far cry from the passing of his grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II. According to Harry's memoir "Spare," he was informed of her passing via a BBC alert sent to his phone (via BBC).
Shortly after the private visit between Harry and Charles, a helicopter was seen taking off from the palace grounds, which The Guardian reported was likely Charles and Camilla traveling to Sandringham, the royal estate in Norfolk, England. Sandringham House holds special significance to the Windsors, as it is typically the setting for intimate family Christmases ahead of their public-facing festivities at Buckingham Palace.
It doesn't seem like everyone in the family has moved on from the royal drama
While it might seem obvious for Harry to visit his father given his diagnosis, things weren't so cut-and-dry amongst the Windsors. Harry, Duke of Sussex, and his wife, Meghan Markle, were famously estranged from the family after a series of tell-all interviews, documentaries, and memoirs created deep rifts between the couple and their family. Harry's accusations against his relatives of racial, physical, and emotional mistreatment ultimately resulted in the couple being excluded from most royal events and family gatherings.
Harry outlined many of these tensions in his memoir "Spare," although the main contention seemed to be between him and his brother, Prince William. The duke wrote that after a heated meeting between him and William at the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral in 2021, Charles implored his two sons to get along. "Please, boys," Harry wrote, per The Guardian. "Don't make my final years a misery."
Indeed, Harry's visit to the U.K. appears to be a step in the right direction, but it's unclear where Harry and William stand with each other. An anonymous source told ABC News that the two brothers had no plans to see each other while Harry is in town, and William has made no public comments on his father's diagnosis at the time of this writing. Regardless of what happens, one thing is certain: Harry's love for his father is far stronger than the drama that drove them apart.