During the Duke of Sussex’s whirlwind trip to the UK, he privately met with another royal. It’s a move which royal expert Jennie Bond believes shows Harry wants to remain part of the royal family
Prince Harry’s secret visit to the see Duchess of Kent during his whirlwind UK trip was an important olive branch for the royals, according to an expert.
During his four-day return to his home country, the Duke of Sussex met with his father King Charles for a 55-minute private tea at Clarence House, marking their first meeting since February 2024.
Away from the spotlight, Harry also met with another member of the royal family on his visit, with his spokesperson confirming that he met Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent at Kensington Palace. The prince paid his respects following the death of his wife, Katharine, the Duchess of Kent, who passed away on 4 September at the age of 92.
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Harry departed the UK before the Duchess’ funeral at Westminster Cathedral, instead travelling to Ukraine for a long-arranged meeting with injured soldiers in the war-torn region.
With the duke taking time out of his busy schedule to meet with the Duke of Kent, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond believes he is trying to mend bridges within the royal family.
She exclusively told the Mirror: “I think it’s a sign that Harry very much wants to remain part of the royal family. But that doesn’t mean he wants to be part of the institution. Family ties seem to mean a lot to him these days, in spite of the damage he has done and the hurt he has caused.”
She went on to recall the relationship between the Kents and Harry, highlighting how the prince would have been compelled to reach out to share his condolences in person.
She said: “The Duke and Duchess of Kent were part of his life for many years, and they both attended Harry and Meghan’s wedding. It was a rare public appearance by the Duchess and I’m sure Harry was touched by her presence.
“I think he felt it important to go to see the Duke and express his condolences personally — I’m sure he felt it was a natural thing to do. We know that he is seeking reconciliation, and this was just another small step to show that he does still care about his relatives, even though his life is now elsewhere.”
While Prince Harry didn’t attend the Duchess’s funeral, held in London on September 16, Jennie Bond believes this was a decision made by Harry to not steal the spotlight at such a sombre event, and to fulfil his engagement in Ukraine.
“No one has confirmed whether he was or wasn’t invited to the funeral itself,” Bond said. “But he would have known that the headlines would have been all about him and this was a day for the Duchess. So I think it was wise for him to stay away.
“In any case, he had a long arranged meeting in Ukraine which must have involved some very complex preparations, so it probably would have been very difficult to reschedule the trip. In the end, I think he took the wisest route: he saw the elderly Duke during a private visit, and then left the rest of the family to mourn in public.”