King Charles 'delayed helicopter to Sandringham' so he could welcome Harry
The King delayed a helicopter flight to Sandringham to meet with Prince Harry on Tuesday, it has been reported.
The Prince made a rare TransAtlantic dash to London following news of his estranged father's cancer diagnosis, with the two talking in a 30-minute private meeting at Clarence House. Palace insiders said the brief talk revived new optimism for the healing of family rifts.
It followed the bombshell news on Monday that doctors had spotted signs of cancer while the 75-year-old monarch underwent surgery on an enlarged prostate at the London Clinic. The King was said to be doing "very well" and acting "his normal self" despite the latest health scare.
Shortly after the meeting, he and Queen Camilla were seen publicly for the first time since the diagnosis was announced as they made the short trip down the Mall to catch a helicopter from Buckingham Palace to the sovereign's Norfolk retreat, Sandringham Palace.
King Charles delayed a trip to Sandringham as he met with Prince Harry in a 30-minute chat on Tuesday (PA)In a rare move, the King kept the chopper waiting to give him the time to personally greet his son. The decision has been dubbed a "significant" one, as insiders said the father-son's brief meeting was a "cause for optimism".
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Prince Harry was spotted arriving at Clarence House on Tuesday afternoon where he briefly met with his father (Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)However, details about the two's meeting were scant as what they discussed was kept firmly under wraps. The King was seen leaving his London residence 45 minutes after Harry's arrival, with the pair chatting for approximately 30 minutes.
It was the first time the two met privately since the late-Queen's death in September 2022, and the first time Harry has been seen at any kind of family meeting since the Coronation in May last year. However, Harry, 39, was reported to have extended an olive branch with a phone call to his father on his 75th birthday in November last year.
Prince William however was not at the meeting, currently juggling caring for the Princess of Wales as she recovers from abdominal surgery, looking after their children and focusing on his return to public duties on Wednesday. Hopes of a truce between the two brothers are slightly less optimistic, insiders said, with sources adding there was no plan for the 41-year-old to see Harry on his UK visit.
One insider told The Sun: “Charles always keeps a tight schedule and had a planned itinerary to leave London to rest and recuperate in Norfolk. He is very fastidious about time-keeping but it was significant that he delayed the flight to Sandringham when he knew Harry was visiting.”
The insider added: “After all, the Duke of Sussex had flown all the way from California at short notice and he accepted the gesture. There is cause for optimism.” Meghan did not accompany Harry on the trip, remaining at their home in Montecito, California.
The couple no longer have a UK base following their eviction from Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor estate last year. The King and Camilla were whisked away to Sandringham following the brief meeting, with the couple's helicopter seen departing from Buckingham Palace's gardens at 3.46pm before landing at the Norfolk estate just over half an hour later.
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