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When King Charles received his own cancer diagnosis, the Duke of Sussex was shaken enough to make a transatlantic dash to see his father.
The King had called the Duke personally to tell him the news, setting in motion their first proper face-to-face meeting after at least 17 months.
The Duke, who was at home in Montecito, wasted no time in booking a commercial flight to the UK and flew to London for a 30-minute meeting with the King at Clarence House on Feb 6.
However, the specific details of the meeting changed several times, as plans for the Duke to fly to Sandringham with the King and Queen were vetoed at the last minute.
Instead, he was forced to stay in a hotel – rather than a royal residence – and was not given police protection for the remainder of his short stay.
His next visit to the UK is scheduled for May, when the Duke hopes to attend a service at St Paul’s Cathedral to mark the tenth anniversary of the Invictus Games.
Opportune moment for reconciliation
Having recently lost a legal battle with the Government over his right to automatic police protection, the Duke is unlikely to travel with the Duchess or their children, Prince Archie, four, and Princess Lilibet, two, because of fears for their safety.
The solo visit could therefore prove an opportune moment to reconcile with his brother and sister-in-law.
Following the publication of Spare in January 2023, the Duke indicated he wanted to sit down with his family and make amends.
He said he wanted to have his father and brother back as a “a family, not an institution”.
The Duke is understood to have dropped his demands for an apology for himself and the Duchess, recognising that such attempts to force a reaction had failed.
Warm wishes – likely sent via text – from California in the wake of the health scare might open a channel of communication.
But any meaningful reconciliation between the two couples will rely heavily on a willingness to forgive and forget from the Prince of Wales.
The Princess, who is a known peacemaker, might do her bit to heal the brotherly rift. But with so much currently resting on his shoulders, it would take a giant leap of faith from the Prince to risk creating any further upset for his family.
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