During Harry’s short visit to the UK to appear at the WellChild charity bash in London, he missed a “golden opportunity” to meet his family, claims a royal expert.
Prince Harry rejected an offer by his father to spend the anniversary of the Queen’s death at Balmoral Castle, it has been reported.
The snub came after he formally asked the King’s office for royal accommodation and security for his one-night stopover, earlier this month, to attend the awards.
However, a senior aide informed him that none of the family’s London homes or Windsor Castle were available, as most staff were in the Highlands.
Instead, Harry was told he was welcome to join the family at Balmoral, where Charles and Queen Camilla were staying for the summer – an offer which he reportedly turned down.
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Prince Harry is understood to have claimed his itinerary made the trip to Balmoral Castle impossible.
Speaking to The Sun, Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine said: “For Harry, this was a golden opportunity missed. He should have braved it out and gone to see them. If the King invites you to Balmoral, then most people would cancel all of their travel plans.”
The royal expert believes the King was offering an “olive branch” and the Prince could have “easily rearranged” his schedule.
She added: “Harry must have known that not only the King but the whole of the Royal Court decamp to Balmoral for the summer and that was the only place he could go.”
Ms Seward also thinks King Charles will always welcome Prince Harry as he is a forgiving man, but it should “be on his terms”.
On the day of the anniversary of the Queen’s death, Charles, 74, and Camilla, 76, attended a private prayer and reflection at Crathie Kirk. Meanwhile, Prince William and Princess Kate attended St Davids Cathedral in Pembrokeshire to commemorate the Queen’s life.
As the royals reunited to remember the beloved late Queen, Prince Harry portrayed a lonely figure as he made a stop at Windsor Castle to pay his respects alone, marking the sombre first anniversary.
Returning to the UK for the third time this year, Harry flew alone and Meghan Markle opted to remain in California with the couple’s two children, Archie, four, and Lilibet, two.
After 24 hours in England, Harry then flew to Germany for the Invictus Games, and was joined days later by Meghan, in her first major public appearance this year. While the couple hosted the Games, they both also celebrated Harry’s 39th birthday in Dusseldorf.
