Harry not expected to meet King when back in UK this month for High Court battle

The Duke of Sussex is not expected to meet his father, the King, when he returns to the UK this month for his trial against the publisher of the Daily Mail, it is understood.

Harry is set to travel from California to London for the start of his High Court legal action against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL).

He was reunited with Charles for the first time in 19 months on his last visit in September, and the pair had afternoon tea at Clarence House, with the duke describing his father as “great”.

Charles and Harry are now said to be in regular contact despite their past difficulties, but the monarch is expected to be in Scotland for his traditional post-Christmas stay when the trial is due to start on January 19, although the date and timetable have yet to be finalised.

The Telegraph reported that royal sources acknowledged the King did not wish to be linked to any court proceedings, so will give his son a wide berth on this occasion.

In May, the duke gave an interview to the BBC in which he claimed the King would not speak to him because of his legal fight with the Home Office over security and he did not know “how much longer my father has” as he described his hopes for a “reconciliation”.

The sit-down chat came after the duke lost a Court of Appeal challenge over his security arrangements while in the UK.

But in a major U-turn, the Home Office is said to have now ordered a full threat assessment for the first time since 2020, amid reports Harry’s taxpayer-funded armed security will be reinstated for visits to the UK.

Harry and six other household names, including Sir Elton John, his husband David Furnish and campaigner Baroness Doreen Lawrence, allege ANL carried out or commissioned unlawful activities such as hiring private investigators to place listening devices inside cars, “blagging” private records and accessing private phone conversations.

Politician Sir Simon Hughes, actress Sadie Frost and Liz Hurley are also in the group.

ANL “vehemently” denies the “preposterous allegations” and is defending the legal action.