Critics have accused Prince Harry of taking a subtle swipe at his father, King Charles III, during the monarch’s recent visit to the United States.

The Duke of Sussex’s office issued a statement that appeared to downplay speculation about a potential meeting between father and son. However, the simple presence of the word “taxpayer” was interpreted by many as a pointed dig at the King.

Prince Harry’s Office Issued ‘Controversial’ Statement

During King Charles’s recent U.S. visit, many thought it presented the perfect opportunity for him to meet with Harry and perhaps use the moment to spend time with his grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

However, it became increasingly clear that no such meeting was expected to happen, a point reinforced by a statement issued by the Duke’s office.

“State visits are taxpayer-funded working trips with packed schedules. Adding a personal, cross-country leg to the itinerary would neither be expected nor feasible,” the statement read.

While the message appeared to frame the lack of a meeting as a matter of logistics rather than personal rejection, some users claimed the reference to “taxpayer-funded” visits amounted to a subtle dig at the king.

Critics Rip Harry Over ‘Taxpayer’ Comment

Online reaction to Harry’s statement was swift and critical, with many dismissing the idea that scheduling constraints alone explain why he won’t meet Charles during the U.S. visit.

On Reddit, several users rejected the idea that the lack of a meeting could be explained simply by the constraints of a taxpayer-funded state visit.

A recurring theme in the responses was that, if a reunion were truly desired, Harry should have been the one to go to the King, not the other way around. Some of the harshest responses, however, focused on the still unresolved issues between Charles and the Sussexes.

“Just the spare trying to make up excuses as to why the King is ignoring them,” one user said of Harry’s statement.

Why King Charles Avoided A Prince Harry Reunion

Aside from the online reactions, a royal expert has also weighed in on why Charles is opting not to see his son during the US state visit.

“One of the complications is if Charles did meet with Harry, it overshadows the whole trip, and the point of the trip is the state visit,” said John McDermott, cofounder of Caloroga Shark Media and producer.

Emphasizing his point, McDermott said the reunion would create “competing narratives,” ultimately distracting from the official agenda of strengthening the UK’s bilateral relationship with the US.

“This week’s agenda is Charles and Camilla, and again, if you meet with Harry, that becomes the story,” McDermott concluded.

Prince Harry And King Charles Haven’t Met In Months

It has been over six months since Harry met his father in London. According to reports at the time, that meeting followed a handwritten letter from the Duke expressing his desire to reconnect. The reunion marked their first sit-down in two years, even though Harry had made several trips to Britain for his legal battles with the press.

According to US Weekly, the pair spent about an hour together, with sources describing the reunion as “super positive and very relaxed.”

Their discussion reportedly saw them catch up on their personal lives, including details about Harry’s children and the King’s health, after he had previously been diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer.

“They were catching up personally about the children and what has been going on with Charles and his health. There were hugs and tears,” a source told the publication about the visit.

Poll Reveals Low Support For Royal Reconciliation

The visit immediately sparked rumors of reconciliation, which were further fueled by interviews in which Harry expressed a desire to reconnect with the causes he is passionate about in the UK.

However, a recent Daily Express poll suggests that most Britons don’t support such a move toward reconciliation.

The outlet posed the question, “Should King Charles forgive Prince Harry?” and gathered responses from more than 6,000 participants. Of those surveyed, about 90% said the King should not reconcile with Harry, while 9% supported the idea of forgiveness between father and son.

Meanwhile, just 1% of respondents said they were undecided, noting uncertainty over whether the monarch should make amends with his estranged son.