Royal family goes back to work after Prince Harry 'snub' on UK visit

The King and Prince William both have engagements on Thursday

It is back to business for the royals on Thursday after the Duke of Sussex failed to meet up with the King during his visit to London.

The King met service personnel and their families at an army base in Surrey while Prince William headed to the west country for a series of engagements.

Charles, who is Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Engineers, visited the 3 Royal School of Military Engineering in Minley, Surrey, and is understood to have also received cancer treatment as an outpatient midweek.

The King quipped that he was thrilled to be "out of my cage”.

His Majesty, 75, was greeted with the pomp of a red carpet and a Quarter guard salute upon alighting from the State Bentley at Gibraltar Barracks.

With candid spontaneity, he expressed his enthusiasm: "Thank you so much, I do apologise by taking you by surprise, this opportunity appeared and allowed out of my cage and wanted to come and have a look."

Royal visit to Gibraltar Barracks
King Charles speaks to Sophie Mairs during a visit to Gibraltar Barracks in Minley
Jonathan Buckmaster/Daily Express/PA Wire

He hosted the first Buckingham Palace garden party of the season on Wednesday where he was joined by the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

One person who did not make the party was nine-year-old double amputee Tony Hudgell from Kent who got stuck in a traffic jam on the M20 but after his mother explained the situation on social media, the Royal Family twitter account posted a message extending the invite, saying: “Fancy trying again another day? Leave it with us.”

Prince Harry, meanwhile, was in central London on Wednesday celebrating the 10th anniversary of his Invictus Games. It fuelled hopes he could have used the opportunity to see his father but a spokesman for the duke said the King’s “full programme” meant the get-together would not happen.

BBC Royal correspondent Michael Cole called it “quite a snub”. Harry and Charles last met soon after the King announced his cancer diagnosis in February when the prince, who lives with his family in California, travelled from the US to see his father.

Harry’s visit to St Paul’s Cathedral – just a few miles from where his father was – saw him give a reading at the anniversary service where he was supported by guests including his mother’s sister and brother, Lady Jane Fellowes and Earl Spencer, and former army officer Mark Dyer who acted as a mentor to him after Diana’s death.

The Invictus Games Foundation 10th Anniversary Service
Prince Harry
Getty Images for Invictus Games

His spokesman said the duke, who is heading to Nigeria later where he will be reunited with his wife, Meghan Markle, hopes to see the King “soon”.

Meanwhile, Harry’s brother William was in Newquay in Cornwall before travelling to the Isles of Scilly on Friday.

The Prince of Wales surveyed a piece of land that could help Britain’s homeless crisis. 

Britain's Prince William visits Cornwall
Prince William shown plans of the Duchy of Cornwall’s first ever housing project
REUTERS

Taking on the estate worth more than £1billion when his father became King, William has now embarked on forging the Duchy's inaugural housing venture in Nansledan, aiming to help the issue.

Announced earlier this year, the project will be delivered alongside Cornish charity, St Petrocs, and will provide 24 homes with wrap around support for local people experiencing homelessness.

Land for the homes will be provided by the Duchy of Cornwall - the ancient estate which provides public and private income for the heir to the throne - which will also use its management expertise to guide the delivery of the project as a whole.

It hopes it will showcase the power of collaboration from across the public, private and voluntary sectors in ending homelessness in the UK.

He was welcomed bt Alastair Martin of the Duchy welcomed him.