On Wednesday, King Charles and Prince Harry were less than five miles apart, but they’ve never seemed so far apart.
The Duke of Sussex, 39, returned to London this week to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games.
But hopes of a royal reconciliation were dashed later that day when Prince Harry’s representatives confirmed to the Post that the king’s schedule was “full” and he would not see his estranged father. .
And on Wednesday, the rift between the estranged pair was on full display as the king hosted a garden party for around 8,000 guests at Buckingham Palace – his first since his cancer diagnosis.
At the same time, just 4.2 miles away at St Paul’s Cathedral in London, Prince Harry gave a reading to mark 10 years since the first Invictus Games were held in the capital.
At the palace, the 75-year-old monarch was joined by his wife Queen Camilla, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Anne and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
Harry arrived at his event alone.
Once inside, the Duke was greeted with hugs by his late mother Princess Diana’s relatives, including his uncle and aunt, Earl Spencer and Lady Jane Fellowes.
Prince Harry appeared to be in good spirits as he arrived, smiling broadly and waving to excited fans lining the streets of London.
He then joined Invictus competitors and staff for a reception in the cathedral’s crypt, where he took part in endless meetings throughout the day.
Prince William did not attend either event, instead performing royal duties at Windsor Castle on Wednesday morning, spending the day with his wife Kate Middleton, who has cancer, and their three children.
It is equally unlikely that the royal family will reunite on Thursday, as the king has official royal engagement in Surrey, south of London, where he is scheduled to meet with personnel from the Army’s Royal Engineers.
Mr Charles, a colonel in the Royal Engineers, will spend the day with military personnel and their families before speaking to members of the 8th Engineer Brigade.
The King has been juggling royal duties this week while receiving outpatient treatment for cancer.
Prince Harry will leave his homeland on Thursday to join his wife, Duchess Meghan, in Nigeria.
The couple, who retired from royal life in 2020 and enjoyed royal life across the pond, were invited to Nigeria by West Africa’s Chief of Defense Staff (the highest-ranking military official).
