Calay News
Prince Harry made a poignant return to Britain on Thursday to attend an awards ceremony, a day before the first anniversary of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth’s, passing. Harry, who now resides in California with his wife Meghan, has limited visits to the UK since stepping down from their official royal roles in 2020 and has experienced strained relations with other members of the royal family, including his father, King Charles, and his elder brother, Prince William.
Speaking at the annual WellChild ceremony in London, a charity supporting children with serious illnesses for which he is a patron, Harry paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth. He expressed regret for missing the awards last year due to his grandmother’s passing, stating that she would have insisted he attend the event and that she is watching over them from above.
The timing of the WellChild ceremony and other commitments coincidentally brought both Harry and Meghan to Britain when Queen Elizabeth passed away at Balmoral Castle on September 8th last year. Harry had canceled his attendance at last year’s ceremony upon learning of the queen’s illness and had traveled separately from the rest of the royal family, reflecting their ongoing rift.
In his memoir published in January, Harry revealed that his father had informed him that Meghan was not invited to Balmoral. Kate, William’s wife, also did not attend.
On the first anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s passing, the royal family will not convene for a formal gathering, and reports suggest that Harry will not have an opportunity to see them during his trip. He is set to travel to Düsseldorf, Germany, to kick off the Invictus Games on Saturday.
