Prince Harry has met his father King Charles at Clarence House in London on Wednesday for their first face-to-face meeting since February 2024.
The clues have been scattered all over the place in recent months.
In his BBC interview in May, there was a distinct shift in tone from the prince.
After years of raw, emotional media appearances and the critical insights shared in his memoir Spare, this meeting portrayed a different aspect of Prince Harry.
I would love a reconciliation with my family, he stated previously. Life is precious, and there's no point in continuing to fight anymore. This indicated a yearning to see his father, but questions remained whether the King shared the same sentiment.
A photograph in the Mail on Sunday in July showed the media communications team representing Prince Harry meeting in London with the King’s communications director, suggesting an opening of dialogue. While neither party confirmed specific details of their ongoing discussions, mutual silence indicated a potential thaw.
This meeting takes on particular significance as Prince Harry has been in the UK for charity events, yet has made the United States his home since 2020. They last gathered in person soon after King Charles's cancer diagnosis.
The Palace confirmed that they shared a tea that lasted about 50 minutes. Both sides insisted on neither confirming nor denying any specifics on the conversation held during their time together.
Despite the meeting being a step forward, observers warn that the road to full reconciliation is still uncertain, with no indication of Harry meeting his brother Prince William. Departing the UK after such substantial yet subdued interactions, it appears they face a long journey ahead.
