Prince Harry 'desperately wants King Charles to open the Invictus Games' when it returns to the UK next year
The King has hosted just two short meetings with his youngest son in recent years and is not believed to have seen his grandchildren, Archie, six, and Lilibet, four, since June 2022.
Prince Harry is set to invite his father King Charles to open his Invictus Games in the UK next year in what would be a major attempt to ease relations between the feuding family members.
The King has hosted just two short meetings with his youngest son in recent years and is not believed to have seen his grandchildren, Archie, six, and Lilibet, four, since the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022.
But a significant olive branch could see the pair on stage together in Birmingham when the Games return to these shores in July 2027 for the first time in 13 years.
The Invictus Games were founded by Harry in 2014 as a sporting contest to celebrate wounded, sick and injured military personnel.
Sources told The Sun that the King and the Duke of Sussex are keen to reconcile, and achieving this at next summer's Games would be 'appropriate' given Charles's position as Head of the Armed Forces.
As a Head of State, the King would be asked to the contest anyway - but an invitation to the opening ceremony would go a step further in thawing relations.
The cause is said to be close to both their hearts and, according to the source, the Game's organisers are 'convinced' the joint appearance will happen.
In a previous attempt to ease tensions, Prince Harry promised his father that he could be trusted to stay quiet about their private discussions before they met for the first time in more than 18 months in September.
Prince Harry is set to invite his father King Charles to open his Invictus Games in the UK next year (pictured: the pair with Meghan Markle, left, in 2018)
The Duke of Sussex pictured with the then Prince Charles and Prince William in 2005. A royal source previously said Harry is determined to 'reset' his relationship with his family
The Duke of Sussex spent 54 minutes having a cup of tea with King Charles at Clarence House in London as part of 'rebuilding their father-and-son relationship'.
On that occasion, the Duke of Sussex said of the Monarch, 'Yes, he's great, thank you,' when asked about the face-to-face meeting during a reception for the Invictus Games.
When they met in February 2024 after the monarch was diagnosed with cancer, Harry's audience was limited to just over 15 minutes.