The Duke of Sussex travelled 5000km to be by his father’s side after his cancer diagnosis made headlines — with the pair having only a short 45-minute sit-down at Clarence House.
The Windsor Suite is the most exclusive lounge at Heathrow Airport and is frequently used by other members of the royal family, such as Prince William and Kate Middleton.
High-profile figures such as the Pope and former Prime Minister Boris Johnson have also used the suite.
Visitors are welcomed by liveried doormen before being escorted to one of eight private lounges, where they are waited on by a private butler — one of 96 staff in the suite.
Then, guests can choose from a menu prepared by Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton, and make use of a personal shopper in the main Terminal 5 building.
Snaps of the private lounges show large couches, polished floors and walls filled with artwork — including an Andy Warhol-inspired portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.
Due to its high-profile clientele, the suite prioritises privacy and security, and features bombproof glass and netting to keep the paparazzi away.
And there’s no need to worry about queuing for security — all checks are made in the suite itself prior to guests being personally driven to their aircraft.
The Duke of Sussex arrived at Heathrow just before 2pm and landed back in Los Angeles on Wednesday evening.
Meghan, Archie and Lilibet stayed at their Montecito home while Harry was in the UK.
An Andy Warhol-inspired portrait of the Queen that appears in the lounge. Photo / Instagram
Prince Harry and his father had a “brief meeting” prior to the King and Camilla being driven to Buckingham Palace where a helicopter was waiting to fly them back to Sandringham.
Notably, Prince William was absent from the reunion, with no visible signs that tensions between the two have eased. There has been bad blood between the brothers ever since Harry and Meghan decided to step back from royal duties in 2020, and it worsened after Harry’s memoir Spare was released.
“William has shown today that he has disowned Harry, he doesn’t want to know him, and he probably doesn’t even like him anymore. Harry is just not part of his life,” royal expert Jennie Bond shared with Daily Mail.
“That rift is so deep now, and that has been shown by Harry being here and them not meeting, so deep that I really do wonder if it can ever, ever be mended.”
Guests can then browse from a menu from Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton. Photo / Instagram
The fact Prince Harry made the trip to the UK at all, suggests expert Richard Fitzwilliams, shows there is hope for a future reconciliation within the family.
He told MailOnline: “The whole situation has changed with cancer. The fact the King has been diagnosed with something that millions know is life-threatening has changed the whole relationship between the royal family and the Sussexes.
“The only way for a family to fight cancer is to come together.
“A lot has been made of the length of Harry’s visit and how quickly he left, but that isn’t the point. The point is that Harry came — and Charles shared the diagnosis with him. What he wanted was to express support, it’s a completely new situation.”
The meeting between the Duke of Sussex and his father was their first interaction in person since the late Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September 2022. The prince did attend the King’s coronation in May last year, but he was not seen with his newly crowned dad.
