Did Prince Harry Turn Down King Charles' Birthday Invite? Here's What We Know
A representative for the prince spoke out following a report about his father's birthday celebration.
Familial tension plays out in an especially intense way when you're part of the British royal family. The latest drama? Whether or not Prince Harry will attend King Charles III's 75th birthday party—and whether or not he even received an invitation in the first place. As reported by InStyle, the U.K.'s Sunday Times recently published a story in which a source claimed that Harry would not be at his father's birthday event though he had been invited. Reportedly, Charles will celebrate his milestone birthday on Nov. 14 at the royal residence Clarence House.
RELATED: The Real Reason Harry Was Cut Off by the Royal Family, According to Insiders.
Soon after this story came out, though, Harry's representative released a statement saying that the Duke of Sussex had not been invited to the party and that the report was inaccurate.
"In response to U.K. media headlines, there has been no contact regarding an invitation to His Majesty's upcoming birthday," a spokesperson told The Messenger. "It is disappointing the Sunday Times has misreported this story." Furthermore, "a source with knowledge of the situation" told The Messenger that the palace "never reached out" to Harry about the festivities. The Messenger reports that a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace declined to comment.
The problems between Harry and other members of his family, including his father, have been well publicized. In January 2020, Harry and his wife Meghan Markle announced that they were stepping down as senior members of the royal family. They moved first to Canada and then to the U.S. They currently live in California with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Harry has spoken out in his memoir, Spare, in his and Markle's famous interview with Oprah Winfrey, and in their Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan. Among other issues, Harry has explained that he was cut off financially by his family after he and Markle stepped down and that they were left without security.
Harry was last seen in his father's presence at Charles' May 6 coronation as King. It was a short visit. As reported by People, Harry flew back to California soon after the coronation, so that he could be around for Archie's birthday, which was the same day. As for his last trip to the U.K., Harry visited London in September for the WellChild Awards.
"As you know, I was unable to attend the awards last year as my grandmother passed away," Harry said at the charity event, according to People. "As you also probably know, she would have been the first person to insist that I still come to be with you all instead of going to her. And that's precisely why I know, exactly one year on, she is looking down on all of us tonight, happy we're together continuing to spotlight such an incredible community."
According to Town & Country, Harry also visited Queen Elizabeth II's burial site at Windsor Castle's St George's Chapel during his visit.
Other members of the royal family honored Queen Elizabeth II differently on the anniversary of her death. Prince William and Kate Middleton attended a memorial service in Wales, while Charles and Queen Camilla went to a service in Scotland.
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