A personal setting provided the privacy and comfort they needed
Royal watchers were riveted this week as Prince Harry reunited with his father King Charles III after 19 months apart. On Wednesday evening, the Duke of Sussex was seen arriving at Clarence House, where palace sources later confirmed the pair shared a “private tea.” Their meeting lasted just under an hour before Harry headed off for another engagement.
The setting sparked curiosity, with many wondering why they didn’t meet at the more traditional Buckingham Palace. The answer lies in the very different roles the two royal residences play. Clarence House, which Charles shares with Queen Camilla, serves as a private and personal home, far removed from the ceremonial and administrative bustle of Buckingham Palace, often described as the “headquarters of the monarch.”
Choosing Clarence House gave father and son a quieter, more intimate space for their long-awaited reunion. The meeting carried special meaning as it marked Harry’s first face-to-face visit with his father since February last year, when he briefly returned after Charles’s cancer diagnosis.
There was also a practical reason. Charles has not yet taken up full-time residence at Buckingham Palace, which remains under major renovation until at least 2027, according to the Sovereign Grant report. A building site hardly offers the privacy or atmosphere needed for such a personal moment.
Clarence House, by contrast, holds deep sentimental value for the King. As Rachel Avery of HELLO! points out, the property was once home to the Queen Mother and has been Charles’s cherished residence since long before his reign. He has often spoken fondly of his childhood days spent there.
For a reunion layered with emotion and significance, Clarence House offered not just discretion but the warmth of a true family home.
