Plus, inside King Charles’ return to work plan as he battles cancer, Sophie Trudeau reportedly quietly quits Meghan Markle, and is Harry’s medal shade for his dad or Camilla?
Who will Harry see in the U.K. next week?
Prince Harry is to return to the U.K. next week for a church service celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Invictus Games, his paralympic-style games event for wounded servicemen.
Harry’s potential attendance at the service on May 8 has been rumored for weeks. However, it was finally confirmed Sunday morning on Invictus social media accounts.
There was no mention of Meghan Markle in the announcement, and she is not expected to join her husband, but The Daily Beast has approached the Sussexes office for clarification on the matter.
There will now be intense focus on which members of the royal family Harry will meet when in the U.K.
Spokespeople for the U.K. royals did not respond to requests for comment, but Harry is understood to be on improved terms with his father King Charles, whom he raced over to see after his cancer diagnosis, and is likely to want to meet him. His father, who has recently said he will return to public duties, may well reciprocate. However, relations with Queen Camilla are still understood to be fraught following his public attacks on her, and Harry has recently chosen not to wear a Coronation medal bearing Charles and Camilla’s likeness.
Prince William is understood not to have spoken to Harry since Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis. He believes Harry “sold out” the royal family by making tens of millions of dollars by revealing family secrets in Spare.
Harry’s camp have let it be known he reached out privately to the princess after her cancer diagnosis. However, Harry was not told about her diagnosis in advance of Kate’s bombshell video message, suggesting trust is strained between the two parties.
The timing of the announcement on a weekend when royal aides might have hoped the focus would be on the king’s return to work this week is likely to infuriate palace aides.
Harry’s trip home coincides with fresh reports about how he appears to have snubbed Charles by not wearing his Coronation medal when donning military awards.
Harry was one of just 400 recipients of the medal, but, according to reports in multiple media outlets, he has not worn the medal on recent occasions when he has worn his other medals.
Could it be that Harry objects to having a likeness of Camilla pinned to his chest? He did after all says she was “dangerous” prepared to leave “bodies on the street” and “sacrificed” him for her own PR in his book.