Prince Harry had been hoping to meet with King Charles during his visit to the UK, but it was revealed the monarch was far too busy to see his estranged son

King Charles decided not to meet with Prince Harry during his London visit, with one royal expert suggesting the monarch was worried about being recorded.

The Duke of Sussex returned to the UK earlier this week to take part in a number of Invictus Games engagements. Harry had hoped he would be able to meet with his father, but the monarch was too busy to see him.

Royal author Tom Quinn has now claimed the King joked he would have to have someone search Harry to see if he was recording had he met with his son. Speaking exclusively to The Mirror, Tom said: “When King Charles heard his son was planning to return for the Invictus Games, he joked that if he saw Harry he would have to have him searched first to see if he was taping their conversation!

King Charles was at a garden party instead of meeting with his son ( 
Image:
POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
“And, of course, at many levels this is no joking matter.” A spokesperson for Harry released a statement to confirm the Duke of Sussex would not be meeting with his father during his UK trip.

They said: “In response to the many inquiries and continued speculation on whether or not the duke will meet with his father while in the UK this week, it unfortunately will not be possible due to His Majesty’s full programme. The duke of course is understanding of his father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon.”

Tom also said Charles is worried about what might happen if Meghan Markle decides to release a memoir. He explained: “There was a sigh of relief at Kensington Palace and Clarence House that Harry appears to have scrapped the idea of a second book after his best-seller Spare, but the focus has now switched to Meghan.

Prince Harry was at an Invictus Games service last night ( 
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
“King Charles now fears that anything he says to his son may end up in a book written by Meghan.” The royal expert suggested Meghan will release her memoir to tie in with her lifestyle business America Riviera Orchard.

He told us: “For all her efforts to make a success of her new online business, America Riviera Orchard, Meghan knows that a personal memoir of her time in the UK as a working royal would sell millions of copies and make her the sort of money she craves.

“She is also acutely aware that such a book would only boost traffic to her new online business. All this fills King Charles with horror because Harry is bound to be a major contributor to the book.”