Prince Harry is set to embark on a solo trip to New York City next month at the same time that his older brother, Prince William, is likely to host a summit in Manhattan
Estranged brothers Prince Harry and Prince William may both be in New York at the same time next month.
The duke, 39, is set to embark on a solo trip to the Big Apple in September, following his successful four-day tour of Colombia with his wife Meghan Markle earlier this month. His New York visit was announced on August 27 and will coincide with the UN General Assembly High-level Week and Climate Week.
During his stay, Harry will ‘advance a number of his patronages and philanthropic initiatives’, according to a spokesperson, and participate in engagements with African Parks, The HALO Trust, The Diana Award, and Travalyst. He will also promote the work of The Archewell Foundation, the nonprofit organisation he co-founded with Meghan.
His visit will also overlap with William’s Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit, scheduled for September 24. The Prince, 42, attended the summit last year and this year’s date coincides with his children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, returning to school after the summer holidays. However, it remains uncertain whether William will attend in person.
It comes as friends of the future king have suggested that Harry may not be invited to his brother’s coronation when he one day ascends to the throne. They heartbreakingly predicted that the next time the brothers will meet face-to-face is likely to be at their father King Charles’ funeral.
Former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond weighed in on these theories during an interview with OK! Magazine, saying: “I agree that the rift between William and Harry looks unbridgeable. I don’t think William wastes any of his life thinking about his brother, though we know that Harry has said he would like to have some kind of reconciliation.”
“But this would presumably be on his own terms,” Jennie remarked. “You can only go to a coronation if you are invited and, at this stage, I suspect Harry would not be invited. However, that day is hopefully someway away and it’s possible that William’s attitude may have softened somewhat by then,” although she cautioned she ‘wouldn’t hold her breath’.
Looking instead to the more pressing worries weighing on William’s mind, Jennie continued: “William has far too much to concern himself with at the moment: his father’s illness, his wife’s illness, and three young children to nurture. Not to mention his important role as Prince of Wales.”
Prince Harry famously stepped back from royal duties in January 2020, moving to the States with Meghan and their son Prince Archie. Their bombshell interview with Oprah and the Netflix series they released have kept them in the public eye. In 2023, Harry dropped another sensation with his memoir ‘Spare’, reportedly causing even more tension within the Royal Family.
Since his departure, Harry has only made a few trips back to the UK, with his children returning just once for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022. Given that their youngest, Princess Lilibet, was born in the United States, it is believed this is the sole occasion her grandfather, Charles, has met her.