Prince Harry spoke about “challenging” sibling relationships as he met WellChild award winners on his first trip to the UK in five months.
The Duke of Sussex joked and laughed with unwell young people ahead of the awards ceremony to celebrate their achievements.
He asked 17-year-old Declan Bitmead - winner of the inspirational young person 15 to 18 years award - about family life and whether he had a sibling. The teenager replied that he had a younger brother.
The duke asked: "Does he drive you mad?" to which Declan replied: "No, we get on fine."
Harry quipped with a smile: "You know what - siblings,” adding, “You're at the same school, that sometimes makes it more challenging.”
It comes following speculation about whether the Duke will see his father, the King, during his visit, with the pair not having met face-to-face in over a year and a half.
The duke is not expected to reunite with his estranged brother, the Prince of Wales, as the two siblings paid their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth on the third anniversary of her death just miles apart.
Key Points
- Harry pays private respects at late Queen’s tomb after arriving in UK
- Speculation about meeting between King and Prince Harry
- What is Prince Harry doing in the UK?
- Pictured: Prince Harry arrives at the WellChild Awards
Watch: Prince William makes Bake Off gag as he and Catherine tuck into cake at Women's Institute visit
01:00
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Bryony Gooch
Harry pays private respects at late Queen’s tomb after arriving in UK
00:23
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Athena Stavrou
The Duke of Sussex has laid a wreath and flowers in memory of his grandmother, the late Queen, on the third anniversary of her death.
The Duke arrived in the UK on Monday and travelled to the late Queen’s tomb in the King George VI Memorial Chapel within Windsor Castle’s St George’s Chapel, a spokesperson for the Sussexes said.
He laid a wreath and flowers and privately paid his respects.
What is Harry doing in the UK?
23:28
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Athena Stavrou
Prince Harry has returned to the UK for the first time in five months for a series of engagements.
After arriving on Monday, the Duke of Sussex paid his respects to the late Queen privately on the third anniversary of her death.
On Monday evening Harry attended the WellChild awards ceremony in London in his role as the charity’s patron, a position he has held for more than 15 years.
He is then expected to travel to a community recording studio in Nottingham on Tuesday.
Watch: Kate debuts new lighter hairstyle on London museum visit with William
22:48
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Athena Stavrou
Visit comes after aides pictured meeting
22:03
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Athena Stavrou
Prince Harry’s visit comes after senior aides to the King and Harry were pictured together in London this July.
The new team handling Harry and Meghan’s communications, headed by Los Angeles-based Meredith Maines, was seen on the balcony of a private members' club in London speaking with Tobyn Andreae, the king’s press representative.
It was reported to be an initial step towards opening channels of communication between the two sides.
Harry to visit Community Recording Studio in Nottingham
21:22
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Athena Stavrou
Harry is due to revisit the Community Recording Studio (CRS) in Nottingham’s St Ann’s area on Tuesday.
Harry last visited the CRS to mark World Mental Health Day in October 2019, just two months before he and the Duchess of Sussex announced they were stepping down as senior working royals and moving to North America.
He is planning to hold a private briefing with Children in Need, the Police and Crime Commission, the CRS and community outreach group Epic Partners in Nottingham, stage informal catch-ups with some of the young people he met before, and watch performances from CRS artists and make a short speech.
Will Harry reunite with his family?
20:51
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Athena Stavrou
It is not known whether the duke, who is estranged from his brother, the Prince of Wales, and has a troubled relationship with his father, the King, will stage a reunion during his UK stay.
The King, who is currently at Balmoral in Aberdeenshire, and the Queen have no public engagements planned for this week.
Harry and Charles last met face-to-face more than a year and a half ago when the duke made a transatlantic dash to see the monarch in February 2024 after hearing of his cancer diagnosis.
They spent just over 30 minutes together before the King left to recuperate in Sandringham.
Signs that Prince Harry’s relationship with his family has thawed
20:17
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Athena Stavrou
Prince Harry ‘wants to visit UK more frequently’ and bring Meghan and children with him
19:40
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Athena Stavrou
The Independent’s Harry Cockburn reports:
Prince Harry is seeking to repair his relationship with the royals – and the UK government – in a bid to win greater security for his family on visits to Britain, it is understood.
According to reports quoting friends of Harry, he is keen to make more frequent visits to Britain from his home in California – and also bring his wife and children with him.
They told The Sunday Times he wants to “bring his family back to the UK” and be able to show his children “where he grew up”.
“He’s not given up hope on bringing his family back to the UK,” they said.
“He wants to be able to show his children where he grew up. He wants them to know their family here. He really would like to come back to the UK much more.”
Charles’s third year as King busiest so far
19:08
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Athena Stavrou
The King’s third year as monarch has been his busiest and most widely-travelled so far, despite continuing to receive treatment for cancer, analysis suggests.
Charles carried out official engagements on 175 days during the past 12 months, compared with 133 the previous year and 161 in the first year of his reign.
Besides journeying by air, rail and road, this year has seen the King celebrate his 20th wedding anniversary to the Queen, become the first British monarch to address the Italian parliament, and share his personal playlist of favourite songs.
He also clocked up the 1,000th day of his reign since his accession to the throne.
The figures have been compiled by the PA news agency using the Court Circular, which is the official record of the royal family’s activities.
Prince Harry speaks about 'challenging' relationships between siblings
19:07
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Bryony Gooch
The Duke of Sussex has spoken about "challenging" relationships between siblings when he met WellChild award winners to celebrate their achievements.
Harry joked and laughed with seriously ill youngsters ahead of a glittering awards ceremony recognising their efforts to succeed and thrive despite life-threatening conditions.
When he chatted to Declan Bitmead, 17 - winner of the inspirational young person 15-18 years award, he quizzed him about family life, asking if he had siblings and the teenager replied he had a younger brother.
"Does he drive you mad?" asked the duke, and Declan replied "no, we get on fine" - and Harry quipped with a smile "you know what - siblings".
When told the 17-year-old, from Oxted in Surrey, and his brother went to the same school, the duke said "you're at the same school, that sometimes makes it more challenging".
Declan suffered permanent sight impairment and lost 96 per cent of his skin after developing a rare and life-threatening reaction to a common tonsillitis treatment.
Harry joked with the teenager and made him smile, after being told by the schoolboy he did not have much sight, by saying he was lucky not to see him as: "I'm bald and ginger and worst of all I've got a ginger beard - you're thinking phew."
In pictures: The Duke of Sussex play fights using balloon swords with Gwen Foster, 9, recipient of Inspirational Child 7-11 award
18:45
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Bryony Gooch
Watch: Prince Harry makes first return to the UK in five months amid family reunion rumours
18:29
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Athena Stavrou
What are the WellChild awards?
18:03
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Athena Stavrou
On Monday evening Harry will attend the WellChild awards ceremony in his role as the charity’s patron, a position he has held for more than 15 years.
The WellChild awards celebrate the achievements and resilience of seriously ill youngsters and their families and are being staged exactly three years since the late Queen died.
During the event, Harry will make a speech, meet and talk to seriously ill children and their families and present an award to an “inspirational child” aged between four and six.
The duke has attended the awards 14 times before and has held the role of the charity’s patron for 17 years.
The charity brands itself as the national UK children’s charity “making it possible for children and young people with complex medical needs to thrive at home instead of hospital, wherever possible”.
Full story: Prince Harry returns to UK for first time in months amid family reunion rumours
17:29
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Athena Stavrou
Pictured: Prince and Princess of Wales mark anniversary of Queen's death
17:01
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Athena Stavrou
Prince William and Harry make visits under 20 minutes away from each other
16:35
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Athena Stavrou
Prince Harry and his estranged brother Prince William were just eight miles away from each other today, as they pay respects to their late grandmother separately.
The Duke of Sussex lay a wreath and flowers at the late Queen’s tomb on Monday on the third anniversary of his death.
Meanwhile, the Prince and Princess of Wales visited the National Federation of Women’s Institutes in Sunningdale, Berkshire - just a 17 minute drive away.
There are no reported plans for the brothers to see each other while Harry visits the UK last week.
Both Harry and William attended the funeral of their uncle Lord Fellowes in Norfolk last year, but there was reportedly no interaction between the brothers.
Pictured: Prince Harry arrives at the WellChild Awards
16:34
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Bryony Gooch
The Duke of Sussex has arrived for the annual WellChild Awards 2025, which celebrates the achievements and resilience of seriously ill youngsters and their families, at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London.
When was the last time Harry visited the UK?
16:01
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Athena Stavrou
Harry’s trip to the UK this week marks his first time in the country in five months.
He last visited the UK in April, when he lost his legal challenge against the Home Office over his UK security arrangements.
He sat in court during the hearing, but was not present when the judgment was handed down.
He later told the BBC that his father will not speak to him because of the court battle.
The signs that Prince Harry’s frosty relationship with the royal family has thawed
15:41
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Athena Stavrou
William jokes about late Queen’s passion for breeding horses
15:15
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Athena Stavrou
The Prince of Wales joked about his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II’s passion for horses with members of her Women’s Institute (WI) as he marked the third anniversary of her death.
William was joined by the Princess of Wales for the visit to the National Federation of Women’s Institutes – in tribute to the late Queen’s decades-long association with the organisation – and told guests he could not believe how quickly the time had passed.
He asked for members’ memories of the late Queen, and they chatted about his grandmother’s passion for horses and horse breeding.
The prince said with a smile: “I think she would have liked a few more winners,” then told the members his grandmother had “an old iPad” she would use to watch her foals being born via a remote camera, adding “a lot of foals were born at Sandringham”.
Why is Prince Harry estranged from the royal family - and does he want reconcilation?
14:58
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Athena Stavrou
Prince Harry has been estranged from the royal family in recent years following his exit from the UK in 2020.
The duke has levelled accusations at the King, Queen, William and Kate in his Oprah interview, Netflix documentary and memoir Spare.
He told the BBC in May that Charles will not speak to him because of his court battle over his security, and he does not know “how much longer my father has”.
But he also outlined his hopes for a “reconciliation” with his family, saying: “Of course, some members of my family will never forgive me for writing a book. Of course, they will never forgive me for lots of things.”
He added: “But you know, I would love reconciliation with my family” and said there was “no point in continuing to fight any more”.
Watch: Prince Harry makes first return to the UK in five months amid family reunion rumours
14:46
,
Athena Stavrou
What is Harry doing in the UK?
14:33
,
Athena Stavrou
Prince Harry has returned to the UK for the first time in five months for a series of engagements.
After arriving on Monday, the Duke of Sussex paid his respects to the late Queen privately on the third anniversary of her death.
On Monday evening Harry will attend the WellChild awards ceremony in London in his role as the charity’s patron, a position he has held for more than 15 years.
He is then expected to travel to a community recording studio in Nottingham on Tuesday.
Full story: Prince Harry visits Queen Elizabeth’s grave on third anniversary of her death as he returns to UK
14:24
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Athena Stavrou
Speculation about meeting between King and Harry
14:23
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Athena Stavrou
There has been speculation about whether the Prince Harry will see his father, the King, during his visit to the UK this week.
Charles is receiving ongoing cancer treatment and was in Scotland at the weekend.
The pair last saw each other face-to-face over a year-and-a-half ago soon after the King’s cancer diagnosis.
Harry’s visit follows recent images obtained by the Mail on Sunday showing senior aides to Charles and Harry during a meeting, in what was reported to be a step towards restoring the relationship between the duke and the royal family.
Harry pays private respects at late Queen’s tomb after arriving in UK
14:21
,
Athena Stavrou
The Duke of Sussex has laid a wreath and flowers in memory of his grandmother, the late Queen, on the third anniversary of her death.
The Duke arrived in the UK on Monday and travelled to the late Queen’s tomb in the King George VI Memorial Chapel within Windsor Castle’s St George’s Chapel, a spokesperson for the Sussexes said.
He laid a wreath and flowers and privately paid his respects.
