No private meeting for Charles and Harry

The Duke of Sussex will return to California without having a private meeting with his father, The Daily Telegraph understands.

Many family members had hoped the pair would take the rare opportunity to spend some time together alone, to air their differences face to face.

But despite a 10,000-mile round trip, the Duke was either unable, or unwilling, to pin down the Prince of Wales, who is still coming to terms with the death of his father.

While the Duke’s travel plans have not been disclosed, he is thought likely to return home to his pregnant wife, the Duchess of Sussex, 39, and their son Archie, who turns two next month, within the next day or two.

The lack of any time spent with his father suggests that feelings over his Oprah Winfrey interview are still running high and the fallout remains raw.

Having quarantined for the requisite five days after landing in the U.K. last week, ahead of the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral, Prince Harry would have been able to abandon self isolation on taking a private coronavirus test under the “test to release” scheme.

He is thought to have had at least two days following Saturday’s service in which to catch up with friends or family members.

Should relations have thawed sufficiently with his brother, he would certainly have loved to catch up with his young nephews and niece — Prince George, seven, Princess Charlotte, five and Prince Louis, who turns three on Friday.

The Prince of Wales, 72, was said to have been furious about the Sussexes’ decision to discuss private family matters on television and “let down” by his son and daughter-in-law.

A source close to him said the “incendiary” interview had caused pain and division and that trust in the couple had been eroded.

“It goes against everything the Prince of Wales believes in. He believes diversity is the strength of our society,” one source told a newspaper.

“The Duke of Sussex continues to say he respects his grandmother, but he has ridden roughshod over the institution she represents.”

While the Duke of Sussex and Duke of Cambridge made a point of chatting together as they strolled back up the hill from St. George’s Chapel following the Duke’s funeral on Saturday, Prince Harry was not seen interacting with his father.

They are thought to have spent at least an hour together, alongside other family members including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, following the funeral service, away from the cameras.

But many believe the damage caused by the Sussexes’ allegations about racism and mental health is so deep that chances of meaningful reconciliation in the short term are slim.