They had a famous falling out, beginning with his resignation as a senior member of the royal family and airing his grievances in his memoir, Spare, years later. Prince Harry’s reaction to King Charles’ cancer diagnosis, though, hints a reconciliation could be on the cards.
The Duke of Sussex told Good Morning America that after hearing news of his dad’s health woes, he didn’t hesitate to go to visit. “I spoke to him. I jumped on a plane and went to go see him as soon as I could,” Harry said. “Look, I love my family. The fact that I was able to get on a plane and go and see him and spend any time with him, I’m grateful for that.”
There are few details about exactly what kind of cancer the king has, but according to Buckingham Palace, it is not prostate cancer. While receiving treatment for an enlarged prostate, “a separate issue of concern was noted. Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer,” the royal statement said. The British monarch was admitted to the hospital on Friday, January 25, 2024.
“His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties. Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual,” the official Buckingham Palace statement said.
The statement continued: “The King is grateful to his medical team for their swift intervention, which was made possible thanks to his recent hospital procedure. He remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible. His Majesty has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer.”
The public announcement at 3:25 pm U.K. time may have preceded any private communication with the Duke of Sussex due to the time difference between London and California, where he now lives with his wife, Meghan Markle, and their two children. This means that Harry might not have found out about his father’s upcoming surgery until the news was already made public.
If this communication breakdown is sparked a bit of déjà vu, it may be because the handling of this situation is reminiscent of what happened following Queen Elizabeth’s death in September 2022, when Prince Harry learned about her passing while on a flight to the U.K.
The Telegraph reported at the time that the Duke of Sussex was “the last to know” of her death and only found out about it five minutes before the public was informed of her passing. In a rare move, a spokesperson for King Charles responded to those reports, telling the Daily Mail that “the public was only informed after every family member had been informed.”
