Claims that the Duke of Sussex was taken aback by the "distinctly formal" nature of his recent meeting with the King have been labelled as "categorically false", possibly stemming from individuals "intent on sabotaging" any potential reconciliation, according to his spokesperson. The Duke met with the King on 10 September, marking their first reunion in 19 months.
A report published in The Sun on Saturday suggested that their private tea at Clarence House had a "distinctly formal" atmosphere, leading the Duke, who stepped down as a senior working Royal in 2020, to joke that he felt more like an "official visitor" than a family member.
It was reported that he presented his father with a framed picture of his children, Archie, six, and Lilibet, four. A spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex stated: "Recent reporting of the duke's view of the tone of the meeting is categorically false.
"The quotes attributed to him are pure invention fed, one can only assume, by sources intent on sabotaging any reconciliation between father and son. Presumably, those same sources have also chosen to disclose that gifts were exchanged.
"While we would have preferred such details to remain private, for the sake of clarity we can confirm that a framed photograph was handed over, however, the image did not contain the duke and duchess."
The Duke has previously voiced his hopes for reconciliation with his family, despite his belief that they may never forgive him following his public accusations.
In what's being seen as a meaningful yet cautious move towards mending their strained relationship, Harry met Charles for a private tea earlier this month, sharing 54 minutes with his father at Clarence House after not meeting him in person for 19 months.
The duke previously saw the King in February 2024 when he flew urgently from his California residence to Britain to visit Charles following his cancer diagnosis.
He launched a series of allegations against the King, his stepmother the Queen, brother the Prince of Wales and sister-in-law the Princess of Wales through his Oprah Winfrey interview, Netflix series, media appearances and his memoir Spare since relocating to America.
The duke continues to be estranged from the Prince of Wales.
The formerly tight-knit brothers' enduring feud shows little indication of resolution, with the pair failing to meet during Harry's four-day British visit this month which featured charitable activities and reconnecting with former friends and associates.
Show more
The Sun reported the duke had been approached and subsequently verified elements of its coverage.
A spokesperson for The Sun stated: "In his statement, Prince Harry confirms the exchange of gifts, including a family photograph.
Show more
"The office of the Duke of Sussex was given full right of reply yesterday in advance of publication and opted not to give a response to The Sun's carefully sourced account of the meeting."
Our ChronicleLive Daily newsletter is free. You can sign up to receive it here. It will keep you up to date with all the latest breaking news and top stories from the North East.
ChronicleLive has created a dedicated WhatsApp community for breaking news and our biggest stories. You can join this WhatsApp community here. It will keep you up-to-date with news as it breaks and our top stories of the day sent directly to your phone.
[SRC] https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/uk-news/prince-harry-suggests-people-trying-32565622.amp
