Expert Says Harry Desperately Wants to Reconnect With Charles ― but It Comes at a Cost
King Charles allegedly wants to embrace Prince Harry wholeheartedly, but he’s also cautious about the fragility of the situation. After their brief meeting in September 2025 at Clarence House that lasted for about 50 minutes, the focus has now shifted to another major event and possibly another reunion. The Duke’s Invictus Games is set to return to Birmingham in 2027, producing a perfect stage for a father-son reunion. While Harry would reportedly ‘love’ to spend more time with his father, Charles is threading the scenario carefully. In a recent interview, royal expert Jennie Bond noted that, just like any other father, even the monarch would like to support his son on his ‘greatest achievement,’ but for him, the path is quite narrow.
The Invictus Games are central to Harry’s global initiative, a charity he started in 2014 to help and support wounded service personnel. Despite stepping down as a working royal in 2020, he has continued to further the cause, with the multi-sport event now returning to the UK after more than a decade. Given his icy relationship with the Royal Family, this update, for obvious reasons, has turned the situation quite complex for the King, who faces a huge 'dilemma.’ Speaking to The Mirror, Bond observed, “Invictus has become pivotal. It is Harry's great cause and his greatest achievement and any father would want to support his son as the games come to the [United Kingdom].” However, for Charles, she argued, his family matters are never so simple.
Bond argued that Charles may want to show his support for his younger son, but that might create friction between him and Prince William. Calling it a classic case of a father choosing between his ‘warring sons,’ she argued, “We can only imagine how William might feel if Charles publicly threw his support behind the [Invictus Games] and Harry.” The once inseparable brothers are said not to be on talking terms, hinting at why the Prince of Wales might not be welcoming of the idea of Charles supporting Harry publicly. Even Bond suggests that, given the delicate nature of the situation, it would be in everyone’s interest if the issues were worked out privately.
She told the publication, “I think these issues are best worked out in private, so any reunion between The King and Harry and his family should take place quietly and behind closed doors,” also highlighting, “It remains the most sensitive of situations, and The King will have to take everyone's feelings into account.” With the Games still more than a year away, Bond suggests the father-son duo has plenty of time to mend fences. Her words come at a time when speculation is already running high that the King is keen on ‘turning a corner’ with the Duke.
Speaking to The Mirror US, a source suggested that after a few difficult years, Charles is ready to let bygones be bygones, adding, “Now, with Prince Harry coming over for the Invictus Games and with the King supporting him, they are beginning to move forward.” They also explained that Charles “has got the spring back in his step,” which is reassuring given that 2026 has been tipped as an important year for the Royal Family.