King Charles honours his late father on Father’s Day amid Prince Harry family rift
The monarch shares a touching throwback photo with Prince Philip while family tensions continue
King Charles marked Father’s Day with a heartfelt tribute to his late father, Prince Philip, as attention remains on his relationship with Prince Harry ahead of the Duke of Sussex’s reported return to the U.K.
On Sunday, June 21, the Royal Family shared a throwback photo of Charles and Prince Philip on their official social media accounts, showing the then-Prince of Wales receiving his wings at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire in 1971.
“Celebrating all Fathers, and thinking of those who wish they could be with their Dads, today,” the post was captioned.
Prince Philip, who served as a major figure in Charles’ life, died at the age of 99 on April 9, 2021.
The Father’s Day tribute came as the holiday also coincided with Prince William’s 44th birthday, while renewed attention surrounded the ongoing strain between King Charles and his younger son, Prince Harry.
Harry and Meghan Markle stepped back from their roles as working members of the royal family in 2020 and later moved to California with their son Prince Archie.
Their daughter, Princess Lilibet was born in the United States in 2021.
A major point of tension between Harry and the royal family has reportedly been the loss of his U.K. security arrangements after stepping away from royal duties.
Harry has previously spoken about concerns over bringing his family to Britain without official protection.
However, reports suggested that Harry, Meghan, Archie, and Lilibet are expected to return to the U.K. in July, ahead of the one-year countdown to the Invictus Games Birmingham 2027, the adaptive sporting event founded by Harry.
Harry has previously said he wants his children to feel connected to his home country and heritage.
“The U.K. is my home. The U.K. is central to the heritage of my children and a place I want them to feel at home as much as where they live at the moment in the United States,” he said in a previous court statement.
The Duke of Sussex has also expressed a desire to repair his relationship with his family, saying he would “love reconciliation.”
“Life is precious. I don’t know how much longer my father has,” Harry said while discussing his relationship with Charles and the challenges surrounding security.
Despite their reported differences, King Charles and Prince Harry reunited in September 2025 during Harry’s visit to the U.K. for the WellChild Awards and Invictus Games-related events.
The meeting marked their first in-person conversation in 19 months.
As Harry’s possible U.K. return approaches, the royal family continues to draw public attention over whether the visit could lead to further moments between father and son.
