King Charles III Quietly Meets David Beckham After Rejecting Prince Harry’s Invite: Report

King Charles III reportedly met privately with David Beckham after declining to meet with son Prince Harry.

Beckham, 49, met with Charles, 75, for a “private meeting” on Friday, May 10, to learn more about the King’s Foundation, an educational charity that aims to put people at the center of designing their communities, according to London’s The Times.

Meanwhile, the Duke of Sussex, 39, happened to be in the U.K. earlier this week to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. Prince Harry attended a commemorative service, where he gave a reading, on Wednesday, May 8, at St. Paul’s Cathedral, just 2 miles away from Buckingham Palace.

Harry reportedly invited Charles, Prince William and sister-in-law Princess Kate Middleton to attend the service, but he ultimately attended the event solo. According to a spokesman for Harry, the King’s schedule was too packed to fit in a meeting with his youngest son.

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“In response to the many inquiries and continued speculation on whether or not the duke will meet with his father while in the U.K. this week, it unfortunately will not be possible due to His Majesty’s full program,” a spokesperson for Harry told Us Weekly in a statement on Tuesday, May 7.

Co-founded by Prince Harry, a former captain in the British Armed Forces, in 2014, the Invictus Games is an international sporting event for wounded, injured and sick service persons and veterans. The most recent Invictus Games were held in Germany in September 2023.

Harry previously visited the U.K. earlier this year to see his father. Buckingham Palace announced in February that the King had “commenced a schedule of regular treatments” for cancer, and had been advised by his doctors to step back from his public-facing duties. He resumed his royal responsibilities in April after his medical team were “encouraged by [his] progress” and “remain positive” about his recovery.

“Forthcoming engagements will be adapted where necessary to minimize any risks to His Majesty’s continued recovery,” an April 26 statement from the palace read. “The pacing of the King’s program will be carefully calibrated as his recovery continues, in close consultation with his medical team.”

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At the time of his diagnosis, Harry quickly returned to London to see his father, though their meeting lasted less than an hour. “I jumped on a plane and went to go see him as soon as I could,” Harry explained to Good Morning America at the time. “I love my family. The fact that I was able to get on a plane and go and see him and spend any time with him, I’m grateful for that.”

Amid Charles’ health struggles, Princess Kate revealed to the public in March that she, too, had been diagnosed with cancer and would retreat from the public eye as she undergoes preventative chemotherapy.

While Harry extended an invitation to the Invictus Games service, tensions still appear to be running high among the royal family. (Harry and his wife Meghan Markle sent well wishes in a public statement after Kate announced her diagnosis.)

“The Duke and Duchess [of Sussex] want to be super respectful and don’t want to add stress to the situation,” a source exclusively told Us earlier this month. “If Will and Kate want their space, Meghan and Harry will give it to them.”