Did King Charles see Prince Harry, how long for and why has he gone to Sandringham?

Fans might be wondering if King Charles saw Prince Harry and, if so, how long for, as the monarch departed London for Sandringham.

King Charles has set a new precedent this year when it comes to being incredibly open about his health, most recently when Buckingham Palace confirmed the poignant news that he’s been diagnosed with cancer. The same day that the statement was shared, the Duke of Sussex’s spokesperson confirmed that the King’s youngest son would be flying back to the UK in the “coming days”. Prince Harry then arrived back a day later on 6th February, having travelled solo whilst Duchess Meghan remained in the US with their young children. 

Not long after he arrived back, King Charles and Queen Camilla were pictured leaving Clarence House. The timing of these two events likely got many fans wondering if King Charles and Prince Harry saw each other before the monarch set off and why His Majesty headed to Norfolk. 

Did King Charles see Prince Harry and for how long? 

It’s understood that King Charles and Prince Harry did see each other before Their Majesties departed their London home. The Duke of Sussex arrived back in the UK in the early afternoon and his car was seen being driven into London to Clarence House. According to the BBC, it’s understood that King Charles saw Prince Harry for around 45 minutes. 

This might not sound like a huge amount of time given how long the flight from LA to London is. However, the BBC’s royal correspondent Daniela Relph told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the timing of Prince Harry’s reunion with King Charles is incredibly significant nonetheless. 

The Duke of Sussex boarded a flight the same day the Palace confirmed King Charles’s cancer diagnosis publicly and Daniela believes this signals a “little bit of a thaw” in their relationship. This is a "father and son who've seen very little of each other over the past four years”, she added, before sharing how much it matters that King Charles waited in London for Prince Harry to arrive.

It's since been reported that Prince Harry travelled to the airport a day later on 7th February ready to board a flight back to the US. He and Meghan are set to attend the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler One Year to Go event from 14th February, though it's possible that the Duke of Sussex will make another trip to see King Charles over the coming weeks and months.

Why has King Charles gone to Sandringham? 

The reason King Charles has gone to Sandringham hasn’t been officially confirmed by Buckingham Palace, however it’s likely that he’s swapped the capital for Norfolk because it gives him a bit more privacy. In their statement the Palace declared that His Majesty “remains wholly positive about his treatment” and “looks forward” to returning to public duties “as soon as possible”. Even in light of his positivity, this is a challenging time for King Charles and since the news was shared all eyes have been on London for any possible sightings of the King. 

In Norfolk he won’t have to face quite this level of intense public scrutiny and will have more privacy as he undergoes his “schedule of regular treatments” that have already begun. King Charles and Queen Camilla were at Sandringham the day before Buckingham Palace revealed his diagnosis so it seems to be a place that they feel very much at home.

Sandringham House is also a special royal residence for many reasons and probably holds plenty of heartfelt memories for him. It was one of the late Queen Elizabeth’s favourite homes and she typically spent time here from Christmas to mid February as she used to spend 6th February privately reflecting on the death of her father King George VI. 

Whether it was an intentional tribute or not King Charles and Queen Camilla set off for Sandringham on this same poignant anniversary. Prince Philip also used to spend a lot of his time on the Sandringham estate after he retired from public duties in 2017 and had responsibility for managing the estate for many years.

Will Prince Harry see Prince William? 

Prince Harry has now reportedly travelled to the airport ready to leave the UK and so it seems like he and Prince William didn't see each other during his time here. An insider previously alleged to the Daily Mail that the Duke of Sussex would have “gladly” accepted a meeting with his older brother if the “opportunity were to arise”, though sources also apparently claimed there were no plans for a meeting.

Prince William returned to royal duties on 7th February with an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle after postponing his public engagements for several weeks. He paused his schedule whilst the Princess of Wales was in hospital and immediately after she returned home to continue her recovery after her “planned” abdominal surgery in January.

With his return to engagements and Prince Harry flying back to the US the same day, it seems that the brothers likely didn't have a meeting. Even though Prince Harry didn't see Prince William before he left the UK, it’s heart-warming that he came back so quickly to see King Charles.