Prince Harry rejected an offer to spend first anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s death with King Charles: Report

The invitation from King Charles may have been a sign that he wanted to forgive his son after the attacks he made against the royal family

Published on: Sep 24, 2023, 11:37:56 IST

By Sumanti Sen

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Prince Harry rejected an offer to spend time with his father on the first anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s death, The Sun has reported. The invitation from King Charles may have been a sign that he wanted to forgive his son after the attacks he made against the royal family.

Prince Harry rejected an offer to spend time with his father on the first anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s death (Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa via AP, Arthur Edwards/Pool via REUTERS)

Harry was in England when his father asked him to come to Balmoral, the Scottish home of the Royal Family, to pay his respects to the Queen. An expert has said that it 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. He could have easily re-arranged things slightly to allow himself the time,” Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine, said.

Why did Prince Harry not see King Charles?

Shortly before King Charles extended the olive branch, Harry had sought a royal accommodation and security from his father’s office for a night, when he stopped for his appearance at a September 7 charity event named the 2023 WellChild Awards, in West London. At the time, his request was denied. The reason for the refusal was that the family’s properties in Windsor or the capital city were unavailable for his stay back then. The Queen died on September 8, 2022.

Harry claimed he could not see Charles at the time due to his busy schedule. He later held a short solo vigil at the Queen’s resting place at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. He then flew to Dusseldorf, Germany for the Invictus Games. He mentioned the Queen during the awards ceremony. “I know she’s looking down on all of us tonight,” Harry said.

Ingrid said that inviting Harry was a big step for Charles. “I’m glad he is showing some backbone and offering this olive branch,” she said. “… Charles will always welcome him as he is a forgiving man and it’s his son. But it has to be on his terms and Harry has to apologize, not the other way round.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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