When Duke of Sussex Prince Harry spoke to attendees at a New York sports gala on July 16, he shared a brief but significant remark about his father’s well-being, telling guests King Charles was “doing great.” The update came just days after the Sussex family’s private visit to the monarch’s estate in Gloucestershire. Harry attended the TIME100 Sports Gala in New York City without his wife, receiving recognition for founding the Invictus Games.
During his speech at the July 16 event, Harry discussed his military service in the British Army, including two tours in Afghanistan, and how he established the international athletic competition for wounded veterans and service members in 2014. He emphasized that sports provide injured military personnel with opportunities to rebuild confidence and connect with their families.
Harry also mentioned that Meghan Markle, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet were “happy” to return to California following their United Kingdom trip, and described the children as “growing like weeds.” Archie is 7, and Lilibet is 5. No images from the Highgrove House visit were shared by Meghan.
Private Family Visit to Gloucestershire
The casual health update followed by six days a reunion at Highgrove House, where Harry, Meghan and their children met with Charles and Queen Camilla on July 10. Buckingham Palace confirmed the meeting occurred but described it as a private family matter. Officials provided no information about the length of the visit or topics of conversation, and no photos were released to the public.
The July 10 gathering marked the first in-person encounter between the monarch and his two youngest grandchildren since 2022, when Archie and Lilibet accompanied their parents to Britain for Platinum Jubilee celebrations honoring the late Queen Elizabeth II. Reports made no mention of Prince William or Catherine, Princess of Wales, attending the meeting, and the Sussex family did not appear publicly during the trip.
The King’s Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
Charles publicly disclosed in February 2024 that he had received a cancer diagnosis of unspecified type following treatment for an enlarged prostate. Officials at Buckingham Palace stated the diagnosis was not prostate cancer and have declined to provide further specifics about the illness. Harry’s brief comment at the gala offered no new medical details, and the King’s treatment is understood to continue.
When treatment began, Charles temporarily stepped away from public appearances while maintaining his work on state matters and official documents. He subsequently resumed public duties while his care continued. In a December 2025 Stand Up To Cancer video, the King mentioned that his treatment schedule might be reduced in the new year, calling that possibility a “personal blessing” and expressing gratitude toward doctors, nurses, researchers and families involved in cancer care.
During 2026, Charles has maintained an active calendar of royal duties, with appearances at hospital visits, military ceremonies and events related to cancer research and patient support. His public statements have often addressed medical care, the importance of early diagnosis and the support that family members and caregivers provide to patients undergoing treatment.
Signs of Reconciliation
Royal editor Roya Nikkhah observed on “The Royals with Roya and Kate” podcast that Harry displayed a noticeably cheerful and energetic manner in the days surrounding the family meeting. Nikkhah highlighted Harry’s behavior as he traveled from a Birmingham NEC appearance connected to Invictus one day prior to the reunion, making his way from there to Warwickshire knowing the meeting with Charles was scheduled to occur.
Nikkhah remarked on the unusual level of discretion surrounding the encounter, noting there was no leaking of details and no emotional public statements of the type Harry has previously provided. She observed that Harry’s choice to bring Archie and Lilibet to see their grandfather after a four-year gap reflected his optimistic outlook about the meeting, even amid continuing family tensions.
Over the past five years, Harry’s ties with the royal family have undergone substantial change, starting when 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” intensified the rift, while disagreements about publicly funded security arrangements for Meghan and their children when visiting Britain have perpetuated conflict.
Harry maintains a strained, no-contact relationship with his older brother, Prince William. However, sources indicate he has made headway in rebuilding ties with Charles, and the Highgrove visit signals that efforts to repair his relationship with his father are ongoing.
