During a New York City gala on July 16, Prince Harry provided a concise assessment of King Charles’ condition, informing guests that his father was “doing great.” The Duke of Sussex delivered the update while attending the TIME100 Sports Gala, where he received recognition for his work with the Invictus Games.
The brief health comment followed a July 10 family gathering at Highgrove House in Gloucestershire, where Harry, Meghan Markle and their two children visited the monarch and Queen Camilla. Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, had not been in the King’s presence since 2022, when they traveled to Britain for late Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Buckingham Palace acknowledged the meeting but released no information regarding its duration or substance, calling it a private family occasion. No images from the gathering emerged, and neither Prince William nor Catherine, Princess of Wales, were reported to have attended.
Cancer Diagnosis and Ongoing Care
King Charles disclosed in February 2024 that medical professionals had identified cancer during treatment for an enlarged prostate. The Palace stressed the diagnosis was not prostate cancer but declined to specify the cancer type, a position it has maintained. Harry’s gala remark offered no further medical details, and the monarch’s treatment continues.
Charles suspended public duties when treatment began but maintained his work on state papers and official correspondence. He resumed public appearances while continuing care, and in a December 2025 Stand Up To Cancer video, he indicated his treatment regimen could be reduced in the coming year. He called that possibility a “personal blessing” and expressed gratitude to medical personnel, researchers and families affected by cancer.
The King has maintained a robust calendar of royal duties in 2026, participating in hospital visits, military events and activities connected to cancer awareness and early detection. His public statements have regularly emphasized the importance of caregivers and family support during medical challenges.
Sussex Family Settles Back in California
At the gala, Harry told attendees that Meghan and the children were “happy” to return to California following the United Kingdom visit, describing Archie and Lilibet as “growing like weeds.” Meghan did not share any images from the Highgrove encounter.
Harry spoke to the audience about his British Army service, which included two deployments to Afghanistan, and how he established the Invictus Games in 2014 as an international sporting competition for wounded military personnel. He explained that athletic participation helps injured veterans and service members rebuild confidence and strengthen relationships with their families.
Observers Note Change in Harry’s Mood
Royal editor Roya Nikkhah remarked on “The Royals with Roya and Kate” podcast that Harry displayed a markedly cheerful and energetic attitude around the time of the family reunion. Nikkhah observed his demeanor at an Invictus-connected event in Birmingham the day before the Highgrove meeting, when Harry was en route from the NEC to Warwickshire with the visit already scheduled.
Nikkhah characterized the level of privacy surrounding the encounter as unusual compared to previous reunions, observing there was no leaking of information and none of the public emotional reactions Harry has given in the past. She suggested that Harry’s choice to bring Archie and Lilibet to see their grandfather following a four-year gap reflected optimism about the meeting, notwithstanding continuing family divisions.
Relations between Harry and the royal family have undergone substantial changes over the past five years. The transformation began after he and Meghan withdrew as senior working royals and moved first to Canada, then to California. Frank television interviews and publication of his memoir “Spare” deepened tensions, while disagreements over government-funded security protection for his family during visits to the United Kingdom have sustained discord.
Harry’s relationship with his older brother, Prince William, remains strained with no communication between them. Sources indicate, however, that he has made headway in repairing his relationship with King Charles, and the Highgrove visit signals that reconciliation efforts with his father are advancing.
