Prince Harry made a very touching gesture to his late grandmother upon his arrival in the UK.
After touching down at London’s Heathrow Airport, Harry, 40, went straight to visit Queen Elizabeth’s burial site in Windsor.
His first visit to the UK in five months fell on the same day as the third anniversary of the Queen’s death – September 8.
The Duke of Sussex privately paid his respects to his late grandmother at St George’s Chapel, where she was laid to rest in 2022.
He laid a wreath of flowers at her burial site during the visit, according to People.
After the touching moment, Harry then went on to the WellChild Awards to start his official engagements.
Harry is a regular at the annual event, which recognises children who have shown extraordinary courage in the face of illness and their carers.
He had been due to attend the ceremony in 2022 with his wife Meghan Markle, but he cancelled to travel to Balmoral Castle upon the Queen’s death.
On Monday, Harry visited WellChild’s 2025 honorees and their families before taking to the stage to give a speech in the evening.
He spoke of his longstanding connection to the charity, recalling his first time at the WellChild Awards some 18 years ago.
“I walked into the room, and within about three minutes I realized two things: the love and energy in the room was palpable, so too was the unpredictability,” he said, according to Hello!.
“This night has been a highlight of my year ever since, and it’s all because of you guys: these children, this cause and our WellChild community. Thank you for showing us the light when all too often darkness can consume us.”
Harry then went on to address the “challenges” of the last few years as he praised WellChild for their hard work.
“So much has happened since those early days, for me, for you and for WellChild,” he added. “The world has thrown a fair few challenges our way. But through it all, WellChild has remained rock solid in its mission: to give children and young people with complex medical needs the chance to thrive, not in hospital, but at home, surrounded by family, friends and community.”
Harry has continued working with WellChild since stepping back from his role as a full-time working member of the royal family in January 2020.
Harry has a string of other official engagements during his trip to the UK and will next be travelling to Nottingham.
In the city, he will reportedly visit the Community Recording Studio and announce a Children in Need donation.
On Wednesday and Thursday, he will attend private receptions and meetings with other charities and patronages.
His jam-packed schedule leaves little “downtime” to see his family during the trip, with Prince William said to be remaining steadfast in his refusal to entertain a reunion following their estrangement.
In fact, William’s diary is filled with conflicting royal engagements, leaving no time for the brothers to see one another.
William carried out an engagement in Sunningdale on Monday to mark the anniversary of the Queen’s death.
He will then visit youth organisation Spiral Skills in Lambeth before traveling to Cardiff to visit a new mental health hub run by the Jac Lewis Foundation.
Meanwhile, King Charles is at Balmoral Castle in Scotland and attended a church service with Queen Camilla at Crathie Kirk on Monday.
It has been reported that no meeting between Harry and his father has been scheduled over the coming days.
Harry had hoped to travel to the UK a little earlier to meet with Charles and potentially other family members at Balmoral, but the idea was ultimately vetoed.
“Balmoral is a personal, family home, while Buckingham Palace is a more formal space,” a source told New Idea. “And to put it bluntly, there are fewer emotional connotations. Harry was at Balmoral when he learned that [his mother] Princess Diana had died. Also, if the meeting does turn frosty, it’s easier for either of them to leave from a London venue.”
The King is not believed to have seen Harry since February 2024, when they briefly met following the monarch’s cancer diagnosis.
However, Charles is said to be open to reconciling with Harry after reports that their respective aides met in London in July to broach the subject.
“Charles has always been the most open to reconciling with Harry, out of all the royals,” a palace insider exclusively told New Idea. “Even after the worst of Harry and the Duchess of Sussex’s barbs, Charles has never fully closed the door on him.”
Harry also gave an interview in May in which he said he would “love” to reconcile with his family.
“I don’t know how much longer my father has. He won’t speak to me because of this security stuff… but it would be nice to reconcile,” he told BBC News.His comment referenced his failed legal challenge over the level of security entitlement he gets when he visits the United Kingdom.
Harry also confessed that he “misses” the UK after moving to the United States with his wife, Meghan Markle, in June 2020.
“I can’t see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the UK at this point. And the things they’re going to miss, well, everything … I miss the UK,” he explained.
Harry and Meghan, 44, are raising their two children – Archie, six, and Lilibet, four – in California.
