Prince Harry and King Charles will not reunite in London. Photo / AP, Getty Images
The Duke of Sussex arrived at St Paul’s Cathedral for an Invictus Games service as the King hosted a garden party at Buckingham Palace, less than 5km away.
Prince Harry arrived at the cathedral just before 5pm, walking up the steps alone. He flew from California especially for the service, organised to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the games.
But his hopes of also seeing his father while in London were dashed when apparent efforts to make contact went unanswered. Palace sources suggested no formal contact had been made.
As the King ploughed on with his public duties, so did his younger son as he joined members of the Invictus community, including many injured military personnel, inside St Paul’s.
On arrival, the Duke was received by the Dean, the Very Rev Andrew Tremlett, before being joined by the Lord Mayor of London.
As he took his seat among the 1000-strong congregation, Harry gave huge hugs to his uncle, Earl Spencer, and aunt, Lady Jane Fellowes. As the clock could be heard striking 5pm and the cathedral began to silent, he turned to chat with them both, seated behind him.
Also present were Mark Dyer, a former Army officer and the father figure known to the Duke as Marko, David Sherborne, the Duke’s barrister, who is representing him in his legal battles with the tabloid press, Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, the former private secretary to both Prince William and Prince Harry, and Akshata Murty, the wife of Rishi Sunak.
The service opened with the hymn Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven, before the Dean gave the welcome, hailing the “tremendous achievements” of the sick and injured military personnel from 23 nations who compete in the Invictus Games.
“We recall, with admiration, the skill and determination of those who seek to repair, rehabilitate and reclaim the lives of those living with serious illness or injury: changing and saving lives,” he said.
“We acknowledge, with gratitude, the courage and strength of those wounded, injured or sick servicemen and women who have sought a pathway to recovery, encouraging those who live in darkness by the unconquered light of their spirit.”
Proud uncle Charles Spencer turns up to St Paul’s to support #PrinceHarry and #InvictusGames 10 year thanksgiving service 💕 #IAMHere #IAM10 pic.twitter.com/wuBgMXrQV3
— DEE 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 (@duchessofpoms) May 8, 2024
The actor Damian Lewis, who the Duke once joked should play him in The Crown, recited the Invictus poem by William Henley, of whom there is a memorial bust within the crypt of St Paul’s.
The cheers the Duke received from the crowd were a far cry from the boos that greeted him and Meghan when he was last at St Paul’s for a service of thanksgiving during the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022.
Meanwhile, the King stepped out of Buckingham Palace at 4pm for the national anthem, joined by the Queen and senior members of the Royal family.
A warm welcome back to Garden Parties! ☀️☕️🌸
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 8, 2024
Each summer, guests who have made a positive impact in their community are invited to spend a relaxed afternoon in the beautiful gardens of Buckingham Palace. pic.twitter.com/llEG43t6pY
Wearing a grey suit and light blue waistcoat, he took off his black top hat as he observed the anthem. As it ended, the crowd cheered and the King shook his hat theatrically in acknowledgement and thanks.
The Queen wore a white Fiona Clare dress, a Philip Treacy hat, and a heart-shaped diamond brooch that once belonged to Queen Elizabeth II.
Tony Hudgell, a 9-year-old double amputee who lost both legs after being abused by his birth parents, was among those invited after he raised £1.8 million ($3.7m) for the Evelina London Children’s Hospital.
On the day, his family updated his social media to say they had been “stuck on [the] M20 for last two hours” and “won’t be making the King’s Garden Party”.
The large turnout marked the first garden party of the season, and a major public outing for the King as he continues his cancer treatment.
The Queen, Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Royal, and Duke and Duchess of Gloucester joined him for the party. The Prince of Wales was in Windsor Castle, conducting an investiture.
Ordinarily, the King would shake hundreds of hands and hold conversations with as many guests as possible, working his way through “lanes” of guests as he walked through the gardens.
Palace sources have stressed that his engagements, including garden parties, will now be arranged around medical advice, with possible restrictions on the number of people he is able to meet in order to protect his health.
He is beginning to resume a regular programme of public activity, visiting fellow cancer patients last week and continuing to hold a variety of audiences.