KING Charles’ cancer may finally see Harry put his four-year rift aside with the royals needing to pull together, a royal expert has claimed.
The monarch, 75, informed Harry of his shock diagnosis by phone before Buckingham Palace issued the announcement at 6pm tonight.
The Duke of Sussex has spoken with the King regarding his cancer diagnosis and will travel to the UK to see him in the coming days, a source close to Harry said.
Relations between Charles and Harry are said to be fractured beyond repair amid the fallout over the race row and his bombshell book ‘Spare’.
Harry has hit out at his dad on multiple occasions since stepping back from the Royal Family, accusing the King of lying and making jokes at his son’s expense.
But the shock diagnosis could potentially be the spark needed to repair their strained relationship after four testing years.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams exclusively told The Sun: “The rift in the family is one thing, but there surely will be a good deal of solidarity among the royals because of what’s happened and this includes Harry.
“I’m sure Harry will put aside the past right now for this serious issue. The Royal family – including the Sussexes – it’s so important that everyone is pulling in the right direction.”
King Charles has a taut relationship with his younger son Harry in the wake of ‘Megxit‘ and subsequent claims in interviews and his memoirs.
But there could still be hope if the family “pull together” in this time of emergency.
The expert added: “For families everywhere cancer is so shocking and as much as humanly possible they need to pull together – and that includes Harry and Meghan despite everything that has happened.
“There will be concern from Prince Harry coming over, as he is his father, I sincerely hope it will be the moment that brings them together, families have known the struggle of cancer and this is clearly a circumstance no one foresaw.
“It is a deeply emotional time for the royal family and Harry is included in that, reconciliation could be hopeful with Sussexes but right now its about Charles and his treatment plan.”
What we know so far:
Meghan will not join Harry for the trip across the Atlantic to see Charles.
The Duchess of Sussex, 42, will remain at their Montecito mansion with children Archie, 4 and two-year-old Lilibet.
Meanwhile, Harry’s older brother, Prince William has given a date he will return to front-line engagements.
Back in 2020 the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their intention to step back from official duties and move abroad, triggering a family schism that was quickly dubbed ‘Megxit’.
The ongoing rift between the Duke of Sussex and the Royal Family has only deepened, with Harry’s Netflix documentary and memoir Spare.
Sources say there is a “willingness and wanting to mend on both sides” after Harry’s explosive revelations in his book Spare and Netflix series although some royal observers have claimed they may have reached the point of no return.
Harry claimed in the book he was assaulted by his “arch-nemesis” Wills; pleaded with Charles not to marry his “wicked stepmother” Camilla; and told of Princess of Wales Kate and Meghan’s rift over “baby brain” comments.
William and Harry last saw each other at the Queen’s funeral and the pair have since refused to meet up.
Hopes of a reconciliation had been raised after Harry called Charles to wish him a happy 75th birthday in November 2023 and sent a video of the King’s US-based grandkids Archie, now four, and Lilibet, two.
And in Harry and Meghan’s Netflix documentary series Harry claimed Royal men marry look to marry someone who “would fit the mould”.
Prince William, interpreting him as referring to his wife Kate, slammed the statement as the “lowest of the low”, according to Hardman’s book.
Relations between Charles and Harry are said to be fractured beyond repair amid the fallout over the race row.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told The Sun in December: “Charles and Harry’s relationship was at an all-time low before but this may have fractured it beyond all repair.
“It could spell the end game for them.”
Hopes of a reconciliation had been raised after Harry called Charles to wish him a happy 75th birthday last month and sent a video of the King’s US-based grandkids Archie, now four, and Lilibet, two.
Harry has hit out at his dad on multiple occasions since stepping back from the Royal Family, accusing the King of lying and making jokes at his son’s expense.
Harry opened up about his relationship with his father in his and Meghan Markle’s Netflix docuseries,
The Duke discussed the tense Megxit meeting which took place after the Sussexes announced they would be stepping back from the Royal Family.
January 2020 – Harry and Meghan make their ‘Megxit’ flight, leaving for Canada, eventually setting up home in California, USA.
March 2021 – Harry and Meghan gave their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey where Harry accused his dad of cutting him off financially.
April 2021 – A pal of Harry’s tells Omid Scobie Harry met Queen privately ‘at least twice’ and spoke with Charles & William after Philip’s funeral in Westminster Abbey.
Kate acts as a “peacemaker” between William and Harry as they share a private chat after Philip’s funeral in the grounds of the abbey.
Meghan Markle, who was heavily pregnant at the time, was unable to attend due to doctor’s orders not to fly.
July 2021 Harry and William meet to unveil a statue to their mother Princess Diana in the grounds of Kensington Gardens.
Reports also emerge that Charles has plans to take a walk with Harry around the grounds of Windsor Castle.
September 2022 – Harry and Meghan were sat behind Charles at the funeral for Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who quit royal duties for a life in the States, spent several weeks in the UK during the national period of mourning.
March 2023 – Harry is told King Charles is “too busy” to see him while he’s in the UK for a privacy hearing, according to reports.
The Duke had jetted to the UK to attend a four-day preliminary hearing at the High Court in London regarding his battle with publisher Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) over allegations of unlawful information gathering.
It was the first time the Prince is back on home soil since the Queen‘s funeral last September.
Harry flew back to the US once the hearing was over.
April 2023 – Harry has a “heart-to-heart” talk with his dad before agreeing to come to the Coronation in London
The Duke travelled alone to attend the ceremony on May 6.
Harry headed straight back to the US following the coronation in Westminster Abbey.
He did not appear to speak to his brother William or sister-in-law Kate Middleton at the ceremony – taking a backseat and sitting in the third row at the ceremony.
September 2023 – Harry rejects an offer to spend the anniversary of the Queen’s death at Balmoral with his father.
The King, 75, today began a schedule of regular treatments and postponed front line duties on doctors advice.
Today’s announcement comes just eight days after he was released from hospital following a “corrective procedure” for an enlarged prostate.
In a Buckingham Palace statement: “During The King’s recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted.
“Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer.
“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 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.”
It comes after a series of health scares to hit the Royal Family since the New Year.
First, Kate was admitted to hospital on January 16 for planned abdominal surgery.
The dramatic news was followed an hour later by an announcement that the King required an op for “an enlarged prostate”.
