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Prince Harry will arrive in London today for the WellChild Awards on his last solo visit to the UK without Meghan – but will there be time to meet William and Charles?

Prince Harry will arrive in London today for the WellChild Awards on his last solo visit to the UK without Meghan – but will there be time to meet William and Charles?

Prince Harry will arrive in London today on his last solo visit to the UK without wife Meghan Markle, amid speculation over whether he will meet his father, King Charles, or brother, Prince William.

The Duke of Sussex is to attend the WellChild Awards ceremony in the capital to help celebrate the achievements and resilience of seriously ill young people and their families.

Harry, who has been a patron of the organization for 15 years, arrives across the Atlantic after making several high-profile speeches at events in New York last week.

However, it has not yet been confirmed whether he would make contact with his brother William or go to Scotland, where his father Charles is currently staying.

Reports suggest the royal siblings are unlikely to make contact as the pair are not believed to have spoken during a family funeral in the UK last month.

Prince Harry will be in London to present the award and speak at the WellChild charity awards ceremony

The Duke of Sussex is pictured with Christopher Anderson, who nominated Caroline Anderson for the Outstanding Nurse Award, at the WellChild Childrens’ Health Awards at the Lord’s Cricket Ground in north-west London in October 2007.

Questions have been raised whether Prince Harry (left) will catch up with his father King Charles (centre) or brother Prince William (right) while in the UK – they are seen together here outside Lancaster House in central London in February 2014 .

This visit to the UK is Harry’s last trip without his wife Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, who is staying at their home in Montecito, California – pictured in March 2024 in Austin, Texas

The king is believed to be spending time at his home in Balmoral and has not seen Harry since the prince rushed to his father following the announcement of Charles’ cancer diagnosis in February.

The WellChild Awards celebrate the inspiring qualities of some of the country’s seriously ill young people and the dedication of those who look after their health and happiness, including health, social care and education workers.

Harry regularly attends the annual event organized by WellChild, a national charity that provides a nationwide network of nurses, home improvement projects and family support programs.

Before the big event, the Prince will attend a reception where he will meet the category winners and their families, before joining guests for a private awards ceremony.

He is to present an award to the most inspiring child (aged four to six) and make a short speech.

Last week in New York, Harry showed off his language skills by speaking Sesotho while revealing how climate change is making him “terrified” for his children Archie and Lilibet.

He also called tourism a “double-edged sword” that could harm communities, continuing his recent string of solo appearances while wife Meghan stayed at home.

The Duke of Sussex has spoken about his concerns about the potential harmful effects of both climate change and social media on children, including five-year-old Archie and three-year-old Lilibet.

His most recent appearances included events in New York where he showcased two of his initiatives: one supporting the southern African country of Lesotho and the other promoting his sustainable tourism charity.

Speaking alongside members of the Lesotho royal family at the UN headquarters, Harry explained how the name of his charity, Sentebale, comes from the country’s Sesotho language, which means “don’t forget me.”

He began by saying in English: “Your Majesty, ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests and friends,” and then repeated the greeting in Sesotho: “Morena, basali le bahlomphehi, baeti ba hlomphehang le metsoalle.”

He recalled visiting Lesotho for the first time during the gap year in 2024 between leaving Eton and entering the military academy at Sandhurst, when he spoke alongside other delegates including the country’s King Letsie III and Queen Masenate Mohato Seeiso.

Harry, 40, said: “The Royal Family of Lesotho, and Lesotho itself, have been a pillar of strength to me over the last 20 years, welcoming me with open arms and such kindness.

“You can feel at home away from home in the beautiful mountain kingdom.

“This friendship has only strengthened as we have worked together to address some of the most pressing challenges facing the people of Lesotho and the world.”

Harry told how he helped set up Sentebale two years after his first visit, adding: “The charity was founded in honor of our mothers and symbolizes our commitment to always remember and support the most vulnerable among us.

“Our mission at Sentebale is simple but incredibly important – to help vulnerable children and young people in Lesotho and Botswana access vital health services, receive care and support, and develop the life skills they need to thrive.

“By focusing on youth, we break generational cycles of trauma and outdated beliefs.”

It has since been revealed that the Duke of Sussex will be making his first trip to the African country in over six years, where he has launched his first major charity project.

Early next month, Harry will travel to Lesotho for a meeting of business leaders, philanthropists and local stakeholders with the aim of supporting Sentebale’s work and supporting the digital and economic inclusion of the next generation.

Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, who co-founded Sentebale with Harry almost 20 years ago, said welcoming back Mohale – Harry’s affectionate royal name in Sesotho which means “warrior” – would fill the community with “joy”.

The Prince said: “As we approach our 20th anniversary, our ambitions are growing, which gives us confidence that we can bring our skills and experience in designing solutions with young people and use our convening power to engage with leading regional and global players funders so that we can add the voice of the Sentebale to tackling the challenges facing the next generation in South Africa.”

Harry was first invited to the landlocked country of South Africa by Seeiso, a friend of his mentor, former army officer Mark Dyer.

Founded in 2006, Sentebale began in Leosotho before expanding to Botswana and works in four key areas: strengthening the social and emotional well-being of people living with or affected by HIV; helping to ensure access to health and social services; supporting youth activities; and building the skills and livelihoods of individuals.

The prince has regularly visited the mountainous country to promote his organization’s work, but was last in the capital Maseru in 2018, when he married Meghan.

Harry and Seeiso will visit Lesotho to showcase Sentebale’s work to new supporters alongside existing donors through American Friends of Sentebale, and the princes will also meet with local leaders and youth activists.

In Johannesburg, the group will attend a reception with South African stakeholders and strategic partner Lebec, a women-led finance and philanthropy company, and participate in a panel discussion on philanthropists creating change beyond writing checks.

Sentebale President Dr Sophie Chandauka said: “Africa has the largest and fastest growing population of young people, and by 2050 almost 40 per cent of the world’s young people will live on the continent, with a significant proportion of them residing in South Africa.

“Without urgent investment in digital skills, education and job creation, more than 50 percent of these young people are at risk of economic hardship.

“The Prince’s return to South Africa with our new American friends marks a significant milestone in working with world-class organizations and local leaders to engage this critical group of young people.

“Together, we aim to accelerate digital and economic inclusion by addressing low levels of access and literacy, which are key to young people’s participation in the global economy and to achieving Sentebale’s goals for health, wealth creation and climate resilience.”