King Charles won’t meet Prince Harry during monarch’s US state visit: experts

King Charles will not be reuniting with his son, Prince Harry, when the monarch visits the United States.

On March 31, Buckingham Palace announced that the king and Queen Camilla would travel to the U.S. in late April to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence. The ceremonial event has received calls to be canceled due to President Donald Trump’s criticism of the British government for failing to support military operations involving Iran, The Associated Press reported.

The visit will also mark the second time that a British monarch has addressed Congress. The first was the king’s mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who delivered a speech at the Capitol during a state visit to the U.S. in 1991.

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Trump announced that the king and queen will visit from April 27 to 30. A state banquet will take place at the White House on April 28.

"The state visit of King Charles and Queen Camilla is of pivotal importance with Anglo-American relations at a low ebb," royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital.

"It is also about the shared history of the two countries over 250 years. It will emphasize, as such occasions do, the mutual sacrifice in war, the enriching cultural links, and what the world’s most powerful nation and Britain do have in common, which means they have special links."

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A spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex confirmed to Fox News Digital that father and son will not be meeting, noting that the monarch will be in the U.S. on a working state visit, "not a holiday."

A source previously told People magazine that the trip is tightly choreographed and that there is an understanding on both sides.

"When you’re talking about a state visit, every minute is accounted for — especially when it’s the king traveling as the invited guest of a head of state," said the source.

"Harry knows how things are and wouldn’t ask for that either under these circumstances."

The king’s visit follows Trump’s state visit to the U.K. in September. It was a glittering occasion that was seen as part of Britain’s effort to nurture the special relationship between the two countries.

"I look forward to spending time with the king, whom I greatly respect," said Trump in his recent statement.

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While Charles and Harry will not be seeing each other, the visit will bring the monarch to the country that his younger son has called home for six years.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals, citing the unbearable intrusions of the British press and a lack of support from the palace. The couple resides in Southern California with their son, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4.

Harry, 41, has returned to his home country several times for court proceedings and charity work. He reunited with his father in September 2025. It was the first time in 19 months they’d seen each other in person.

A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace confirmed to Fox News Digital that at the time, they spent about an hour together over private tea at Clarence House, the king and queen’s London residence.

Shannon Felton Spence, former head of Politics and Communication at the British Consulate General of New England, told Fox News Digital that the primary focus is wholly on the state visit, one where every minute is accounted for.

"The king will be in the U.S. at the invitation of President Trump," Felton Spence explained. "He will be on official business as head of state, and to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. Therefore, the program and guest lists are controlled by the State Department and the U.K.’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office."

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"This is very different from a normal royal visit, and it’s entirely different from a private trip," she said. "There is a lot hinging on this trip between the U.S. and the U.K., which have incredibly frayed relations at the moment. Every aspect of the program will be diplomatically strategic and coordinated."

Charles and Camilla’s U.S. trip will include stops in Washington, D.C., New York City, and Virginia, People magazine reported. While in D.C., the king and queen will participate in several events, including a private tea with Trump and first lady Melania Trump, as well as a formal ceremony at the White House and a ceremonial military review.

In New York City, the royals will commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks later this year, the outlet reported. They will meet with first responders and the families of the victims.

In Virginia, the king and queen will attend a block party to celebrate America’s birthday. Charles will also visit a national park, while Camilla explores a farm to highlight the work of America’s horse racing industry.

After their U.S. tour wraps up, the royals will travel to Bermuda. It will be Charles’ first trip as monarch to an overseas British territory, the outlet reported.

Fitzwilliams said the itinerary was planned "with meticulous care" far in advance.

"The focus must be on the principals," Fitzwilliams stressed. "There is simply no place for Prince Harry in this plan. It is essential that they focus on the host and visitors only, not on a situation where attention could be diverted by a media frenzy. This has to be avoided."

He noted there will be plenty to look forward to on both sides.

"The president is a showman who loves royalty, so it will be spectacular," said Fitzwilliams. "It is also extremely important for America and Britain’s future relations. The presence of the Sussexes would detract from that, and so, it cannot be contemplated."

Harry’s September meeting with his father marked their first in-person reunion since February 2024. At that time, Harry visited King Charles after the monarch announced he was undergoing cancer treatment. It’s understood that Charles is continuing his treatment this year.

The outlet noted there is speculation that father and son could see each other again when Harry returns to the UK in July 2026 for events tied to the Invictus Games. Those engagements will celebrate the one-year countdown to the Birmingham 2027 Invictus Games. 

According to the outlet, it’s not known whether the Duchess of Sussex and their children will join him for that trip.