Prince Harry was in Britain on Wednesday, May 8, to attend an Invictus Games celebration at St Paul's Cathedral, but he reportedly managed to shade his home nation in the process. While greeting fans outside of the famous church, a reporter asked the California Duke: "Are you happy to be home?"
"Nice to see you," the fifth in line to the throne laughingly replied before ignoring the question and getting into his Range Rover.
His Royal Highness' much-hyped visit was without the royal fireworks many speculated could occur with various "reunions" and meetings with King Charles, Princess Kate and more.
"Everyone has been speculating whether we are going to see some sort of reconciliation, with rumors that certainly a meeting with the King was likely," royal author Pauline Maclaran shared. "However, I see there is no time in his schedule to meet with his son, and Harry is very unlikely to be meeting William or other members of his family."
The speculation was settled when a spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex stated: "It, unfortunately, will not be possible due to His Majesty’s full program. The Duke of course is understanding of his father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon."
This follows news that suggested the California Duke reportedly asked His Majesty for the second visit "over a month" in advance.
"If the King wanted to see Harry, he would find time very easily," royal historian Hugo Vickers dished. "You can never be too busy to see your son."
"The King has left the door wide open, but obviously not that wide," a royal source spilled about the situation. "But they absolutely can stuff things in his diary and juggle things around."
The monarch met with his youngest son on February 6, the day after he told the world he was battling cancer. According to some insiders, even that visit seemed to be something His Majesty wished to expedite.
"We don’t know how that meeting went, but I do know that the King was exhausted and really keen to get off to Balmoral," another royal insider privy to that meeting spilled. "He was desperate to be on his way and was delayed until Harry turned up."
The Duke developed the games in 2014 as a way for wounded/disabled service personnel to compete with one another in their very own sporting competitions. In what one royal analyst calls a "sad but honest" outcome, Harry reportedly sent invitations to multiple senior royals to attend the service — not a single one answered. Earl Spencer and Lady Jane Fellowes, Princess Diana's brother and elder sister respectively, accompanied the prince to the service.
Daily Express reported on Maclaran's comments.