Prince Harry surprised New York City with an unannounced visit on July 16, arriving without his wife Meghan Markle or their children — 7-year-old Archie and 5-year-old Lilibet — after recently reuniting with his father in the U.K. The prince showed up as an unexpected guest at the TIME100 Most Influential People in Sports event.
Harry Opens Up About the Power of Sports
Harry used the occasion to highlight the impact of the Invictus Games, the sporting competition he founded for people with disabilities that advocates say has transformed lives. He wasn’t among the athletes honored at the TIME event, but he received recognition for his role with Invictus and spoke about the movement’s broader effects.
“One thing we really celebrate at Invictus is not only do we change lives, we save lives as well,” Harry said to TIME.
Harry also reflected on sports’ personal influence, saying athletics kept him connected to school at a time when he wasn’t drawn to classroom work — a motivation he cites as part of the reason he launched Invictus. He added that the next edition of the Games will return to the U.K. after several years abroad, even as his relationship with some family members remains complicated.
The Royal Family Reunited in the U.K.
A royal source confirmed to ABC News that Harry and his family recently reunited with King Charles at a private family home in Gloucestershire. Meghan and the children had not seen the king since 2022; Harry, by contrast, has made several trips to the U.K. since he and Meghan stepped back from senior royal duties. The family’s last visit together was for the Platinum Jubilee commemorating his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.
Though no longer carrying out official royal duties, Harry and Meghan have remained active in charity work — including projects in Australia — and Meghan has found success with her Netflix lifestyle and cooking series “With Love, Meghan,” which recently earned a Daytime Emmy nomination. The series’ related brand reportedly sold out so quickly that it had to be paused temporarily.
Harry and Meghan Navigate Ongoing Security Concerns
There had been speculation that the couple’s children would not join the trip because of security issues. Since relocating to California, Harry and Meghan have relied on a privately funded security detail; the U.K. scaled back publicly funded protection for Harry after their move in 2020, and he lost an appeal of that decision in 2025.
It’s unlikely official photos of the Gloucestershire reunion will be released, although Harry shared a Father’s Day picture on Instagram recently. He and King Charles also had a private meeting at Clarence House in September 2025 that did not include Meghan and the children. Reports say Prince William remains distant from Harry, and there are no public details of any meeting between the two brothers.
Officials have not disclosed where the family stayed during the visit. It was confirmed, however, that Harry took part in a charity engagement on Saturday and attended an event with Scotty’s Little Soldiers, the organization supporting children who have lost a parent serving in the military.
