Royal Schedule Keeps Charles From Seeing Harry

King Charles will not be meeting with Prince Harry during the duke’s return to the UK this week, despite Harry’s upcoming court appearance in his ongoing legal battle with Associated Newspapers.

Harry, 41, is due in London as his lawsuit against the publisher of the Daily Mail begins at the High Court on Monday, January 19. The duke is expected to attend most sessions and give a full day of testimony on Thursday, January 22.

The King, currently in Scotland taking a post-Christmas break at Birkhall with Queen Camilla, is scheduled to return to London on Tuesday, January 20, for cancer treatment. However, palace insiders insist his schedule leaves no room for a meeting with his youngest son.

A royal source told the Sunday Mirror that “the King’s diary means that he will be in Scotland engaging with the local community,” before resuming engagements in London later in the week. Palace sources also indicated that neither Charles nor Harry requested a meeting, and the King has reportedly told aides he would not cut his trip short under any circumstances, according to the Scottish Daily Express.

Charles, 77, is expected to host a reception at the Palace of Holyroodhouse on Monday for the Scotland Investment Forum, celebrating entrepreneurs.

Prince William and Princess Catherine will also be in Scotland this week for events in Stirling and Falkirk, and insiders say the couple have “no plans to see Harry.” Relations between the brothers remain strained following the publication of Harry’s memoir Spare, which detailed private family disputes.

Charles and Harry did briefly reconnect in September 2025, marking their first face-to-face meeting in around 19 months. Harry has also reportedly invited his father to visit California later this year to meet his grandchildren during an anticipated royal state visit to the United States.

In addition to the family tensions, the nature of Harry’s visit may also be influencing the King’s decision to keep his distance. The duke is among several high-profile figures—including Sir Elton John, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Sir Simon Hughes, Sadie Frost and Elizabeth Hurley—accusing Associated Newspapers of illegal information gathering, including phone tapping and using private investigators. The publisher strongly denies the allegations.

Following his testimony, Harry is expected to return to California to reunite with his wife Meghan Markle, 44, and their children Archie, six, and Lilibet, four.