A ROYAL RECONCILIATION

Prince Harry is back in the UK this week and a potential meeting with his estranged father, King Charles, could change his young family's life for good

- WORDS: MITYA UNDERWOOD PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

Prince Harry's visit to the UK this week has the potential to change the course of his and wife Meghan's family life for generations to come.

The Duke of Sussex, who turns 41 this week, is in London to attend the annual WellChild Awards, but it's widely believed a face-to-face meeting with his estranged father, King Charles, could also be on the agenda.

If that happens, it will be the first time the King, 76, has been in the same room as his youngest son in more than 18 months. But according to royal biographer Tom Bower, it is also "a meeting full of peril".

"Harry has a huge mountain to overcome," Tom tells OK! "On a human basis, he used to get on very well with Charles, so particularly from Harry's perspective, he needs reconciliation. But time is not on their side.

"There would be huge levels of emotion involved if they meet. Whatever Charles is facing, he would much prefer to have a good relationship with his son, so I'm sure he wants reconciliation. But he must bear in mind that he's dealing with someone who could sabotage everything and embarrass him enormously." Meghan, meanwhile, is back in Montecito, California, and, according to Tom, feeling safe in the knowledge that she and their children remain Harry's "priority".

Harry and Charles were last together when the Duke of Sussex flew over to the UK for just 24 hours following his father's announcement that he had cancer.

After arriving at Heathrow Airport on 6 February 2024, he travelled straight to Clarence House and spoke with Charles behind closed doors for around half an hour. He returned to the US the next morning.

Opportunities for them to meet since have been few and far between - and hampered by the fact most of Harry's visits to the UK in the interim were to appear at London's High Court in his battle over security.