Royal Fans Feel King Charles Kept Repeating One Word to Snub Prince Harry During US Visit
Royal fans react to the King’s powerful D.C. address and the telling lack of a meeting with his youngest son during the U.S. tour.
The relationship between King Charles and Prince Harry has been a subject of speculation for people in the UK and across the globe. The Prince has embarrassed he royal family with his public comments, and was also left out of King Charles's state visit to the US. The sovereign invoked the word ‘reconciliation’ repeatedly during his address to lawmakers in Washington, and had people wondering if he was referring to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's place in the royal family. While he used it to describe the centuries-long relationship between Britain and the United States, hours later, he returned to the same theme at a glamorous White House state dinner, saying, “The story of Britain and America is one of reconciliation.” By the time the King and Queen reached New York City, online speculation had drifted far beyond diplomacy, with the focus now turning toward the King’s strained bond with his son, Prince Harry, and daughter-in-law, Meghan Markle. For many observers, Charles repeatedly using the word was ironic, as the Duke and Duchess remained out of sight.
After stepping back as senior working royals in 2020 and settling in California, the Sussexes have remained largely separate from official royal engagements. This was something that became especially noticeable during the King’s American tour, particularly as the monarch hosted a glittering King’s Trust International Gala in Manhattan, where he and Queen Camilla mingled with high-profile figures such as Donatella Versace, Martha Stewart, and Lionel Richie, to name a few. Although the visit had fueled widespread rumors of a possible reunion between the King and his son, given that both were in the US at the same time, there were no signs of that happening. Instead, the King focused all of his energy on mending US-UK ties.
Across Reddit, however, royal fans linked the monarch’s speeches directly to the unresolved rift within the House of Windsor. “Now they’re just trolling the Harkles. King Charles talks of reconciliation. Just not THAT one,” one user wrote. Another person commented, “Yes, well, the U.S./U.K. relationship is actually valuable. So reconciliation is actually important. Can't say the same of certain other potential reconciliations.” One more user entered the conversation, remarking, “This royal visit is almost certainly going to tank Harkle prospects even further and faster. It's clear they have no real royal connection. Harry might as well not exist.”
Interestingly, the New York gala also attracted attention due to the presence of former British Vogue editor Edward Enninful, a longtime media figure closely linked to the Duchess of Sussex when she guest-edited the magazine’s widely discussed September 2019 issue. He later posted images from the evening on his social media, praising the King’s Trust for having "opened doors and changed future" through his mentorship program. Meanwhile, the Duke was generating headlines of his own during the same week after appearing at the Kyiv Security Forum. While speaking at the event, he touched on the war in Ukraine and made references to Donald Trump.
Trump later hit back, offering a blunt response when questioned by reporters. “I think I am speaking for the U.K. more than Prince Harry. But I appreciate his advice very much,” the US President said. While he may have some hard views about the Duke, Trump has nothing but good words to add about his father, evident during the King’s farewell event recently, where he called him the “greatest King” in his book.
