Prince Harry wants to have his father by his side when he opens the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham next year, it has been claimed.
The Duke of Sussex continued his reconciliation efforts with the King last month, when he was joined by Meghan Markle and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, for a top-secret meeting with the monarch and Queen Camilla.
Harry had initially arrived in the UK solo, as he travelled to the Midlands for the Invictus Games One Year To Go countdown ceremony, where he was seen beaming from ear to ear.
This was not because he beat ITV’s Alison Hammond in a laser run race, nor because he left presenter Ade Adepitan aghast at his wheelchair rugby performance – but actually that, later that afternoon, the Sussexes would finally reunite with the King.
Now, it has been suggested that Harry wants the King to join him for the Games next summer, according to The Mirror.
The 41-year-old is understood to be very eager for his father to stand beside him at the multi-sport event for veterans, which he founded and continues to champion as patron.
“Next year is a big deal for Harry. He is determined the Birmingham Games will be the best ever. It would mean the world to him to have his father there,” a source said.
This would mark the father and son’s first public outing since Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022.
Prince Harry wants to have his father by his side when he opens the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham next year, it has been suggested
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GETTY
Organisers of the Games are expected to offer the King a role at either the opening or closing ceremony, alongside opportunities to meet competing veterans.
The 77-year-old monarch is said to be keen to see his grandchildren, having barely spent time with them since the Sussexes relocated permanently to California, while Harry is also preparing to organise more meetings between the two families.
One figure whose departure could reshape the dynamics of this situation is Sir Clive Alderton, the King and Queen’s principal private secretary. He is set to leave his post next year after more than two decades of service to the royal household.
Sir Clive – who Harry made his feelings on abundantly clear in his memoir, Spare – is regarded as the one individual who did have sufficient influence to dissuade the monarch from accepting such an invitation. His exit may prove pivotal in Harry’s ambitions for a reunion at the Birmingham Games.
The Duke of Sussex was seen beaming from ear to ear at the Invictus Games One Year To Go Ceremony last month
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PA
The duke is understood to view the 2027 event as a prime opportunity to demonstrate a restored relationship with his father on home soil. A joint appearance in the West Midlands would represent a substantial stride towards full reconciliation.
Harry and Meghan stepped back from their senior royal duties in 2020 and settled in the United States, leaving behind a trail of fractured relationships.
In the years that followed, the duke became a frequent presence in British courtrooms as he pursued multiple legal actions. More than a year ago, after losing his appeal over security provisions for his family in the UK, a weary Harry declared that “life is precious” and signalled he could no longer sustain the fight.
The King’s cancer diagnosis in February 2024 prompted Harry to rush to his father’s side, though that initial visit lasted a mere 30 minutes.
Subsequent interactions between the two showed scant progress towards the deeper reconciliation Harry sought. The King has continued a demanding programme of engagements at home and overseas, giving little indication of the treatment he was undergoing.
Meanwhile, any prospect of that with the Prince and Princess of Wales remains minimal. Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told GB News there is “absolutely no chance with William at the moment”.