Prince Harry put on a brave face today as he left St Paul’s Cathedral alone following a service to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games.

The estranged royal, who was met with cheers from the crowd, beamed as he shook hands and joked around with dozens of people who had lined up to greet him.

The Duke of Sussex kept up with his cheery demeanor despite knowing King Charles was being joined by other senior royals just two miles away for a garden party at Buckingham Palace.

It comes after the monarch told his youngest son that he was too busy to see him during his fleeting visit to the UK before Harry heads to Nigeria where we will be reunited with his wife, Meghan Markle.

No members of the royal family made an appearance at the Duke’s anniversary service today, with Queen Camilla, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester all joining the King.

The only working royals missing from the garden party were the Prince and Princess of Wales – William had conducted an investiture in Windsor earlier in the day, while Kate is not undertaking public duties due to her health – along with the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra, who are both carrying out fewer engagements due to their increasing frailty.

Meanwhile his cousin, Zara Tindall was seen at the Badminton Estate in South Gloucestershire snapped running with her horse ahead of day one of the Badminton Trials.

While members of the royal family were notably absent from the Invictus Games Service, Harry’s uncle the Earl Spencer and Lady Jane Fellowes – the younger brother and elder sister of Princess Diana – were in attendance.

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Prince Harry put on a brave face today as he left St Paul’s Cathedral alone following a service to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games

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The estranged royal, who was met with cheers from the crowd, beamed as he shook hands and joked around with dozens of people who had lined up to greet him

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The Duke joked around with one enthusiastic royal fan who had her arms outstretched with two phones to try and get the best shot of Harry

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Harry arriving at St Paul’s Cathedral for a service to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his Invictus Games

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The Duke of Sussex remains estranged from many family members after a string of attacks on the Royal Family in recent years

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Prince Harry speaks to guests and members of the clergy as he arrives for the event at St Paul’s to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games

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King Charles III and Queen Camilla, stand with the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh (right) and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester (left) for the Buckingham Palace garden party today

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King Charles III speaks to guests attending the garden party at Buckingham Palace today

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Guests attending the royal garden party at Buckingham Palace in London this afternoon

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King Charles III and Queen Camilla listen to the National Anthem at Buckingham Palace today

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King Charles III speaks to guests attending the garden party at Buckingham Palace today

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King Charles III and Queen Camilla, stand with the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh (right) and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester (left) for the Buckingham Palace garden party today

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King Charles III speaks to guests attending the garden party at Buckingham Palace today

Other notable guests included his cousin Louis Spencer, the Prime Minister’s wife Akshata Murty and his lawyer David Sherbourne. Former army officer Mark Dyer, who helped mentor Harry, was also there.

As he left the cathedral on a balmy evening in the capital, the Californian-based royal greeted large crowds.

He was heard asking two fans from New York what had brought them to the UK. When they responded they were here for a wedding, the Prince jokingly asked it was ‘in there?’ referring to St Paul’s Cathedral.

The Duke joked around with one enthusiastic royal fan who had her arms outstretched with two phones to try and get the best shot of Harry.

‘Why have you got 2 phones?’ he laughed, ‘it doesn’t make sense!’

Hundreds of people had joined the crowd that was tightly guarded by police officers.

Shouts of ‘we love you Harry’ could be heard as the Prince did his walkabout, while others screamed with excitement until Harry got into a Land Rover and drove off.

It is not known where Harry is staying while in Britain as he now has no official home after being asked to leave Frogmore Cottage.

He is expected to stay in the UK until tomorrow before flying to Nigeria where he will meet up with Meghan for a quasi-royal tour that is also expected to highlight the Invictus Games.

Throughout the service, Harry gave a reading from 1 Corinthians 12 4-11.

Actor Damian Lewis, 53, meanwhile read out the Invictus poem with the service being conducted by William Ernest Henley.

An emotional reading was also given by Michelle Turner who is the UK Invictus Games Team vice-captain. She read a personal poem about how the games had helped her recovery and impacted her family.

At the end of the reading she tearfully said: ‘Thank you Invictus, for giving me my life back.’

Today’s service comes after it was revealed Charles was not able to fit time into his schedule to see his son in London – despite just being two miles apart at different events.

The King, who also had meetings this morning, will later attend his weekly audience with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak this evening followed by a Privy Council meeting.

Harry has other Invictus events to attend today, following his attendance at a summit at the Honourable Artillery Company’s headquarters yesterday. As he left that, Harry was asked whether he was ‘happy to be home’, and simply replied: ‘Nice to see you.’

The Duke of Sussex has flown into London for the Invictus engagements and there were hopes that he would see the King.

Damian Lewis gives impassioned reading of the Invictus poem at event

:Prince Harry arriving at the Invictus Games Service at St Pauls Cathedra

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Harry is greeted as he arrives at St Paul’s for the Invictus Games service this afternoon

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The ceremonial event marks the tenth anniversary of the games

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The Duke of Sussex arrives at The Invictus Games Foundation 10th Anniversary Service at St Paul’s Cathedral

Prince Harry waved to veterans and royal watchers as he arrived at the ceremony

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Former Army officer Mark Dyer, who acted as the duke’s mentor, playing the role of a supportive big brother figure for Harry after Diana’s death, arrives at the ceremony

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The 9th Earl Spencer can be seen smiling and gesticulating as he walks up the steps to the historic English landmark

Princess Diana ‘s younger brother Charles Spencer and older sister Jane Fellows arrives at St Paul’s Cathedral ahead of the ceremony

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Britain’s Minister of State for Veterans’ Affairs Johnny Mercer (L) and Akshata Murty, wife of Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, arrive to attend the ceremony

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David Sherborne, Britain’s Prince Harry’s lawyer, arrives at St Paul’s this afternoon

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Guests attending the royal garden party at Buckingham Palace in London this afternoon

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King Charles III and Queen Camilla speak to guests at Buckingham Palace this afternoon

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Guests attending the royal garden party at Buckingham Palace in London this afternoon

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The King and Queen Camilla walk to meet guests at Buckingham Palace today

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Guests attending the royal garden party at Buckingham Palace in London this afternoon

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Zara Tindall was not at the service instead attending the 2024 Badminton Horse Trials

But a spokesman for Harry said yesterday that the monarch’s ‘full programme’ meant the get-together would not happen.

Harry is also not expected to see his estranged brother Prince William who held an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle this morning.

William continues to balance work with looking after his three children while his wife Kate undergoes preventative chemotherapy for cancer and recovers from serious abdominal surgery in January.

Tomorrow, William will fly to Cornwall for further official engagements – and the King will meet staff and families of the 3 Royal School of Military Engineering in Surrey.

Then on Monday there will be a rare joint visit for Charles and William, as the King officially hands over the role of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps to William at the Army Aviation Centre in Middle Wallop, where Harry previously learnt to fly.

Today, the King’s attendance at the garden party with other royals today was a clear sign of solidarity for Charles, 75, who has been given permission to carry out more forward-facing public duties by doctors amid his own ongoing cancer battle.

While the monarch continues to undergo treatment, each engagement is being carefully calibrated to balance his desire to meet as many members of the public as possible with his health.

Aides are particularly keen he is protected as much as possible from picking up any colds or bugs.

Although there are 8,000 guests present today, the event was deemed appropriate as it takes place outside on the palace lawn.

It is likely, however, that interactions will be carefully monitored, or the amount of time the King spends meeting and greeting the public slightly shortened.

Guests began to file in from 3pm in order to enjoy the tea tents and palace grounds amid glorious sunshine and balmy temperatures.

Londoners and tourists react to Prince Harry’s return to the capital

Guests gather for a royal garden party at Buckingham Palace in London this afternoon

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Guests await the royals at the garden party at Buckingham Palace in London this afternoon

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Guests gather for a royal garden party at Buckingham Palace in London this afternoon

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Guests gather for a royal garden party at Buckingham Palace in London this afternoon

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Guests await the royals at the garden party at Buckingham Palace in London this afternoon

The King and the royal party arrived, as usual, at 4pm on the terrace from The Carnarvon Room.

They stood for the National Anthem, played by one of the two military bands present, before being escorted by the Yeoman of the Guard down to the lawn.

There was also a spontaneous round of applause for the King after the National Anthem had concluded.

While the bands continued to play a selection of music, the royal party then circulated among the guests through ‘lanes’ which are cordoned by top hatted ushers.

Each senior royal normally takes a different route and random presentations are made so that guests have an equal chance of speaking to a member of the royal family.

The meet and greets normally last around an hour as the party makes its way towards the Royal Tea Tent, close to the palace lake, to meet further guests and VIPs.

Camilla wore a dress by Fiona Clare, a hat by Philip Treacy and a heart-shaped diamond brooch which previously belonged to Queen Elizabeth II.

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King Charles III waves to onlookers as he leaves Clarence House in London this morning

The first garden party was held by Queen Victoria in June 1868, who declared the afternoon ‘splendid and not too hot’… quantities of people on the lawn whom I had to recognise as I went along… it was very puzzling and bewildering’.

While garden parties historically took the place of presentation parties attended by debutantes, they have since evolved into a way of recognising and rewarding public service.

Sponsors such as Lord Lieutenants, Government departments, charities, the military and faith groups nominate guests who have served their organisations or communities to be send a coveted invitation.

The King undertook official engagements both yesterday morning, as well as this morning, at Buckingham Palace.

He is also likely to have seen his medical team at some point, as well as undergoing his regular cancer treatment.

Harry has travelled to the UK to commemorate the Invictus Games milestone with those who have been involved with the paralympic-style tournament and mark the decade-long support competitors have received.

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Prince Harry visits the Honourable Artillery Company headquarters in London yesterday

During the service at St Paul’s today, Harry will give a reading and actor Damian Lewis will recite the Invictus poem.

Charles and Harry last met soon after the King announced his cancer diagnosis in February and his son rushed from America to see his father.

That was the first time Harry had seen his father in person for 17 months, and they had a half-hour meeting before Charles left London to recuperate at Sandringham following treatment.

But this time, a spokesman for Harry 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.’

Just hours after Harry’s statement, palace officials announced a new joint engagement for Charles and William.

It is one of dozens of official engagements being planned for the 75-year-old monarch in the coming months after his doctors gave him the all-clear to undertake more public work once again while continuing his cancer treatment.

Yesterday, Charles met the prime minister of the Republic of Fiji at Buckingham Palace, before retiring to Clarence House – three miles away from Harry’s event.

Harry now lives with his wife Meghan Markle and children Archie, who turned five on Monday, and Lilibet in a £12million mansion in Montecito, California.

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Harry an Invictus Games event at the Honourable Artillery Company in London yesterday

The Duke and Charles’s relationship had been strained during the period the duke stepped down as a working royal and moved to America with his wife, but after the meeting in February Harry suggested the King’s cancer diagnosis could lead to a reconciliation with his father.

In a Good Morning America interview at the time, it was suggested a family illness could have a ‘reunifying effect’, and when Harry was asked ‘Is that possible in this case?’ he replied: ‘Yeah, I’m sure.’

Harry has travelled alone to Britain, apart from his personal security guards, after claiming he does not feel safe bringing his family to the UK amid a continuing row with the Home Office following its decision to strip him of his round-the-clock Metropolitan Police protection when he left Britain.

Yesterday, Harry was in London attending a summit that reflected on the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games which stages sporting events for wounded, sick or injured veterans or serving military to aid their recovery.

He told delegates at the event, held at the Honourable Artillery Company’s headquarters on the edge of the City of London: ‘Sometimes you… look back and go ‘Look at what we’ve done’.

‘But also given the state of the world, there is so much more to do and I think a lot of uncertainty – but what we’ve created is a global community.’

The duke, who was joined onstage by Sir Keith Mills, the former Invictus Games Foundation chairman, said whenever he was asked how long Invictus will last, his reply was ‘as long as it’s serving a purpose’.

He added: ‘The root cause of the problem is conflict and I can’t fix that.

‘So we will always be here to be able to spread the message, tell the stories, change the perspectives and help as many people as humanly possible, because Invictus transcends borders, transcends politics.’

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Prince William makes Mary Earps an MBE at an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle today

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Film director Sir Ridley Scott is made a Knight Grand Cross at Windsor Castle by William today

Harry flew into the UK unobserved and his arrival was revealed when it emerged he was attending the panel discussion yesterday.

It is not known where Harry is staying while in Britain – where he now has no official home after being asked to leave Frogmore Cottage.

He is expected to stay in the UK until tomorrow before flying to Nigeria where he will meet up with Meghan for a quasi-royal tour that is also expected to highlight the Invictus Games.

Harry was inspired to found the global tournament after attending the Warrior Games in Colorado in 2013 and seeing how injured American military personnel thrived on the challenge of taking part in competitive sports that aided their recovery.

He went on to stage the inaugural games in London’s Olympic Park in 2014 and the tournament has been held across the globe from Orlando and Sydney to Dusseldorf in 2023, with the 2025 event being hosted in Vancouver and Whistler.

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Charles met with Fiji’s PM Sitiveni Rabuka at Buckingham Palace yesterday while Harry arrived

He also said that he would be spending yesterday evening having dinner with former Invictus Games Foundation trustee Guy Monson.

Harry tried to locate the Old Etonian in the audience at the event, asking: ‘Guy Monson, are you here? No? … Well, we’re having dinner at his place later.’

Mr Monson, 61, is chief investment officer of the £18billion investment fund Sarasin and Partners and a trustee of the Invictus Games Foundation.

The Prince said that Mr Monson had been with him at the first Invictus event ten years ago and ‘basically never left his seat’.

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King Charles III and Prince Harry at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in September 2022

Johnny Mercer, minister for veterans’ affairs, attended one of the final sessions of the day yesterday and praised the work of the Invictus delegates in supporting competitors, adding: ‘The power of sport in recovery has been well known for a long time, but your determination to take it to the next level has been unmatched.

‘I cannot adequately express to you here today the sheer power of what you have done. You have reached into the darkest recesses of their lives when they have literally nowhere else to turn, and you have transformed their existence.

‘Yes, it is about sports, but then again, it’s not really. It’s about a common humanity. Man’s conduct to fellow man – you set the standard for humility, for courage, for determination, the absolute resolve never to quit.’