In the wake of King Charles’ cancer diagnosis in early February, Prince Harry immediately rushed home to the U.K. to spend time with his father.
This marks the first time the prince has returned to Britain since last being pictured alongside the royal family during Charles’ coronation last May.
Buckingham Palace Revealed Shocking News
On Feb. 5, Buckingham Palace revealed the unfortunate news that King Charles was diagnosed with cancer.
“During the king’s recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted. Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer,” said the palace in its statement.
Prince Harry Informed Before News Broke
According to insider sources, Prince William and Prince Harry were informed of their father’s illness before the official statement was released.
A vehicle thought to belong to Prince Harry was pictured arriving at a private terminal at LAX airport just hours before the news broke, according to Express.
Duke of Sussex Arrives Back in the U.K.
Over 11 hours after the vehicle was spotted at LAX, The Guardian reported the Duke of Sussex was pictured leaving Heathrow Airport in a black SUV.
According to reports, the SUV was accompanied by a police escort and later arrived at Clarence House, where King Charles and his wife, Camilla, reside in London.
Royal Beef Set to Be Squashed
The trip home marks the first time Prince Harry has set foot on British soil since his father’s coronation back in May.
Many were quick to suggest he and his brother, Prince William, would finally squash their long-term beef. Yet, sources say the Prince of Wales is uninterested in sitting down with Harry.
The Royal Rift
Harry and William haven’t seen eye-to-eye in recent years due to the various accusations made by the younger brother in his memoir “Spare” and in interviews.
For instance, the Duke of Sussex and Meghan Markle told Oprah that two senior royals had made racist remarks about son Archie’s skin tone before he was born. Harry also wrote that William tried to bully him out of the royal family.
‘Don’t Make My Final Years a Misery’
Things had supposedly gotten so bad between the brothers at a time that the king was forced to beg his children to remain civil.
According to Harry, during a meeting, King Charles said, “Please, boys. Don’t make my final years a misery” (via The Guardian).
Putting Differences Aside
While it’s uncertain if the two brothers will ever patch things up, they may decide to put their differences aside during this difficult time for their father.
Nonetheless, even after all the drama, Harry’s decision to rush home in an emergency shows the British royals are still father and son, if nothing else.
Few Details are Known about Charles’ Illness
Not long after Harry arrived to see his father, the king and his wife were taken off to Sandringham by way of a helicopter.
Buckingham Palace is yet to release any more details on the king’s condition besides acknowledging he was diagnosed with cancer.
Is Reunification of the Family Possible?
After the visit, during a trip to Canada, Harry was asked about his father’s health, which he didn’t discuss on camera.
When asked if this difficult moment might reunite the royal family, Harry said: “Yeah, I’m sure” (via Entertainment Tonight).
British Prime Minister Remains Hopeful
During an interview on BBC Radio 5 Live, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak shed insight on the king’s diagnosis.
Speaking during the talk, Sunak said the king’s cancer was “caught early” (via The Guardian).
Prince William Set to Fill in for His Father
The Prince of Wales is set to return to royal duties in the coming weeks after taking a leave of absence during Princess Catherine’s recovery.
The heir to the British monarchy will fill in for some of his father’s duties until he is fit to return.
