Prince Harry makes rare return to London without Meghan to attend WellChild awards but King Charles stays in Scotland
30 September 2024, 16:21 | Updated: 30 September 2024, 16:42
The Duke of Sussex has made a rare return to London as he arrived at the WellChild awards ceremony without his wife Meghan Markle.
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The Duke of Sussex is celebrating the achievements and resilience of seriously ill youngsters and their families during his brief UK visit. Harry is WellChild's patron, a position he has held for more than 15 years.
The visit will raise speculation about whether Harry and his estranged brother the Prince of Wales will see each other, or if the duke will make a trip to Scotland to spend time with his father the King.
But it remains unlikely that William and Harry will make contact after the pair reportedly did not talk when they attended a family funeral in August in the UK.
The King, meanwhile, is believed to be spending time at Balmoral. It is thought that Charles has not seen Harry since the duke rushed to his father's side after his cancer diagnosis was announced in February.
Read More: King Charles and Queen Camilla visit Holyrood to mark 25 years of Scottish Parliament
The WellChild awards this evening will celebrate the seriously ill young people and the dedication of those who care for them, including health, social care and education professionals.
Harry regularly attends the annual event hosted by WellChild, the national charity which provides a nationwide network of nurses, home makeover projects and family support programmes.
Before the big event the duke is attending a reception to meet the category winners and their families before joining guests for the private awards ceremony.
He will later present the Most Inspirational Child (aged four to six) award and deliver a short speech.
In past years Harry has been joined by wife Meghan but travelled alone to London from their home in the celebrity enclave of Montecito in California where the couple established a new life for themselves and their children Archie, five, and Lilibet, three.
Speaking ahead of the ceremony, WellChild chief executive Matt James said Harry's involvement with the charity was "huge for us".
He added: "It does two things, it allows us to give our inspiring winners a night they will never forget, a night that will always stay with them.
"But also, it provides us with a platform to tell their stories which is really important for a group of families whose challenges often go unrecognised and misunderstood."
