Prince Harry shared that he had hoped King Charles’ cancer diagnosis would help mend the fractured relationships within the royal family during an interview with Good Morning America.
Prince Harry’s reaction to King Charles’ diagnosis
King Charles publicly revealed his cancer diagnosis in February, prompting Prince Harry to board a flight to the UK just days later to visit his father.
During a deeply personal interview, the Duke of Sussex reflected on this emotional time. While in Whistler, British Columbia, ahead of the 2025 Invictus Games, the 40-year-old spoke about his journey from Montecito, California—where he lives with his wife and children—to London to see the King.
Harry arranged to meet with his father after discussing his diagnosis, though their visit reportedly lasted under an hour before Charles and Queen Camilla departed for a prior engagement.
Speaking on the show, Harry said: “I jumped on a plane and went to go see him as soon as I could.
“Look, I love my family. The fact that I was able to get on a plane and go and see him and spend any time with him, I’m grateful for that.”
He also expressed his commitment to visiting the UK as often as possible, saying he planned to see his family whenever he could.
Harry hoped the diagnosis would bring the family together
When asked if his father’s illness could help reunite the royal family, Harry was certain it would.
“Yeah, I’m sure,” he said.
“Throughout all of these families, I see it on a day-to-day basis—again, the strength of the family unit coming together. So, yeah, I think any illness, any sickness, brings families together. I see it time and time again, and that makes me very happy.”
King Charles’ health update
The King was diagnosed with cancer following a routine procedure for an enlarged prostate, during which an issue was discovered. Buckingham Palace has not disclosed the specific type of cancer but confirmed it was not prostate cancer.
Recently, Charles was briefly admitted to the hospital for observation due to side effects from his treatment. He has since returned home to Clarence House, where he is recovering, and has postponed his engagements for the remainder of the week, according to Buckingham Palace.
Prince Harry has been open about his complicated relationship with his father, discussing it in his memoir Spare. In the book, he revealed personal details about their rift, stating that he often felt ignored and betrayed by the King.