By ERIC ANDERSSON
Prince Harry rushed to visit his father, King Charles, after the palace revealed on Feb. 5 that the 75-year-old monarch had been diagnosed with “a form of cancer”—but the 39-year-old royal only stayed in the U.K. for roughly 24 hours. His wife, Meghan Markle, 42, and their two children, Prince Archie, 4, and Princess Lilibet, 2, stayed behind at home in Montecito, Calif., where the family moved in 2020 after stepping away from their royal duties.
Once the Duke of Sussex touched down in England on Feb. 6, he traveled in a black SUV, escorted by police vehicles, to Clarence House, the London residence where King Charles—who is receiving regular treatments and is postponing public duties, according to the palace—lives with his wife, Queen Camilla, when they are in the city. There, father and son had a face-to-face meeting—their first since Charles’s coronation last May, when Harry was excluded from certain aspects of the weekend festivities because of the fact that he’s a nonworking royal.
During his whirlwind latest visit, Harry did not, however, see his brother Prince William, 41, or Princess Kate, 42, who is currently recovering from abdominal surgery. According to a royal source, there were “no plans” for the brothers to reunite.
‘HE WAS CHEERFUL AND ALL SMILES, ENGAGING IN LIVELY CONVERSATIONS’ — A SOURCE, on Harry’s mood after seeing his dad
Tensions between Harry and his family have flared since he and Meghan left royal life behind, with grievances aired in a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey and the six-episode 2022 Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan, as well as in his explosive 2023 memoir Spare. But a source close to the royal household took the quick visit as a positive sign. “That is good,” the insider says. “Hopefully [Harry] will bring the grandchildren at some point too, as that would be lovely for all of them.”
For his part, Harry was in high spirits after seeing his father. On the plane ride home, the royal—who made a surprise appearance at the Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas for the NFL Honors on Feb. 8 after returning stateside—“was cheerful and all smiles, engaging in lively conversations with both staff and fellow passengers,” according to a second source.
—WITH REPORTING BY SIMON PERRY
BEYONCÉ
The BeyHive was abuzz on Super Bowl Sunday on Feb. 11 when a surprise Verizon ad starring Beyoncé hinted she was going to make an Internet-breaking announcement. Shortly after, the superstar, 42, revealed that “act ii” of her acclaimed 2022 album Renaissance will be released on March 29. She also dropped two new country-tinged singles, titled “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ’Em.”
Between the exciting teasers, the Houston native—who previously hinted at her foray into country when she sported western wear to the Grammys in L.A. on Feb. 4—watched the Super Bowl from the stands in Las Vegas with her husband, Jay-Z, 54, and their daughters Blue Ivy, 12, and Rumi, 6 (the couple also have son Sir, 6)
—JACK SMART
Beyoncé’s cheeky Verizon ad ended with the star (in the “Texas Hold ’Em” cover art) saying, “Drop the new music.”
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