Why Is King Charles Keen to Heal Rift with Prince Harry? A Royal Butler Explains
The possibility of King Charles and Prince Harry meeting soon has stirred renewed speculation about whether the long-running family rift could finally end. Harry is scheduled to return to the UK for the WellChild Awards on September 8, a charity he has supported for years, and the timing has prompted questions about whether father and son might set aside differences, at least briefly, to see one another. If such a meeting does happen, it would mark their first face-to-face encounter since February.
Those close to the King suggest his reasoning for wanting to mend ties is not rooted in strategy or appearances but something far more personal. Grant Harrold, who worked as Charles’s butler for seven years, said the monarch has always valued harmony above all else. “I know what the King’s like. He likes everyone to be happy,” Harrold told GB News. “He likes everyone to get on. So you can guarantee the King without question wants it resolved.” Harrold, who has just released his memoir The Royal Butler: My Remarkable Life of Royal Service, also pointed to recent developments that may signal progress behind the scenes.
Talking about how aides from both sides have met recently, a move Harrold described as a clear sign that “there’s something going on,” he argued, “I think if his father wants to see him, then he will see him. That’s what I think, and what we’ve seen recently is definitely signs that it could happen.” The date of Harry’s visit, however, adds layers of meaning and difficulty. September 8 not only marks the 2025 WellChild Awards but also the third anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death. Charles has consistently chosen to spend the day in Scotland, at Balmoral, where his mother passed away. That tradition could complicate any plans for a meeting, as Harry is expected to remain in London for the ceremony.
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond has noted that such logistics make the idea of a reunion difficult. In her conversation with The Mirror, she explained, “The King is usually up in Scotland for the anniversary of his mother’s death. So arranging a meeting may not be straightforward.” Harry himself may also have private rituals for the day. Royal correspondent Cameron Walker suggested the Duke is likely to make a personal trip to Windsor Castle to pay respects at St. George’s Chapel, where the late Queen is buried. “I suspect he may make a trip to Windsor Castle to pay respects at the grave of his grandmother. I’d be highly surprised if he didn’t do that,” Walker said.
Even if geography did not get in the way, Harry’s pattern of visits home makes the prospect of meaningful time with his father unlikely. His return trips to the UK in recent years have been fleeting, sometimes lasting only hours.