Prince Harry Has ‘No Plans’ to Reunite with Brother Prince William During U.K. Visit, Says Source

Prince Harry traveled to the UK following the news of his father King Charles’ cancer diagnosis, but his trip home may not include a reunion with his brother Prince William.

The Duke of Sussex (39) arrived at London Heathrow Airport on Tuesday and traveled to Clarence House, the longtime residence of King Charles (75). The last time father and son were together is believed to have been at the monarch’s coronation ceremony in May, which Harry attended before heading to the airport to return home straight after the event. Prince Harry started his solo trip from California, where he lives with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children, 4-year-old son Prince Archie and 2-year-old daughter Princess Lilibet.

“It’s good,” a source close to the royal household told PEOPLE exclusively in this week’s cover story. “Hopefully [Harry] sometimes they will bring their grandchildren as well, because it would be nice for all of them.”

King Charles and Prince Harry 2019.

Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage

King Charles’ cancer diagnosis caught even palace insiders off guard: ‘Shocked’ (Exclusive)

While Prince Harry met King Charles on Tuesday, just a day after news of his cancer was made public, a royal source says there are “no plans” for Prince Harry and Prince William to meet.

Prince William (41) has a full plate himself. He has stepped away from royal engagements in recent weeks as he spends time looking after his three children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis – while his wife Kate Middleton recovers from recent abdominal surgery. The Princess of Wales, 42, is not expected to return to public life until at least Easter, the palace said earlier.

Prince William and Prince Harry on July 1, 2021.

YUI MOK/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

The Prince of Wales is due to return to public duties on Wednesday with an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle and an annual fundraiser for the London Air Ambulance.

As heir to the throne, Prince William could take on some duties on his father’s behalf in the coming weeks with his own diary of engagements, people understand. However, there are currently no plans to appoint advisers of state to act on behalf of King Charles. Councilors of State are members of the royal family who can perform constitutional duties for the monarch if he is abroad or unwell. The positions are currently held by Queen Camilla, Prince William, Prince Harry, Prince Andrew, Princess Beatrice, Princess Anne and Prince Edward.

While heirs in other royal families around the world sometimes act as regents when the monarch is ill or abroad, the case is different in the United Kingdom. According to the House of Commons Library, regents are only permanently appointed in Britain.

King Charles and Prince William visit Royal Ascot in June 2019.

Anwar Hussein/WireImage

Prince Harry laid bare the painful rift between himself and his family in the pages of his memoir Spare published in January 2022 — and the world learned the extent of the division between the brothers.

Almost a year after SpareIn the publication, “absolutely nothing has changed,” author Omid Scobie told PEOPLE in the fall.

In fact, the hurt and anger between the two brothers – one, the Prince of Wales and future king and the other, the Duke of Sussex and Californian – has now hardened into something colder and more steadfast, Scobie said: indifference.

“I saw Harry’s release Spare as a last attempt to tell his family how he’s been feeling for years,” says Scobie, who notes in his book the disintegration of the royal family and the weakening of the modern monarchy. Game over. “Because apparently there’s never been an open enough forum for those kinds of conversations or the sharing of those feelings.”

In written form end game, “I spoke to a source quite early in the process and they called Harry a ‘defector’ and said that was William’s opinion,” says Scobie. “They were two men who once upon a time were firmly aligned in their views. One of them had to go further to protect the crown as well.”

King Charles personally shared his cancer diagnosis with Prince Harry, Prince William and family

Prince Harry, King Charles and Prince William. Karwai Tang/WireImage

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PEOPLE understands the monarch has personally told his two sons about the cancer diagnosis. The king also personally informed his siblings, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, before the news was announced.

King Charles was last seen at church on Sunday at St Mary Magdalene Church near Sandringham with Queen Camilla. It was the monarch’s first outing since leaving the hospital on January 29, where he waved to well-wishers as he left a private clinic.

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Source: HIS Education