Prince Harry to return to the UK on the eve of first anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s death

LONDON (AP) — Prince Harry is expected to return to the United Kingdom next month to attend a charity awards ceremony on the eve of the first anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death, the charity WellChild said Thursday.

Harry, a long-time patron of U.K. charity WellChild, will attend its annual awards ceremony in London on Sept. 7 to mark the achievements of seriously ill young people. He is not expected to be joined by his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex.

The royal withdrew from the same charity awards ceremony last year, which took place on Sept. 8, the day that Elizabeth, his grandmother, died.

She died at Balmoral, her beloved Scottish country estate, at 96 years old after reigning for 70 years. Harry, who had flown in from the United States, flew to Scotland to be with other members of the royal family.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla are expected to mark the anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death privately at Balmoral.

WellChild supports children and young people with long-term medical needs. Its annual awards event aims to highlight their challenges and recognize the caregivers who support them.

Harry is expected to mingle with winners at a reception before delivering a speech and presenting one of the awards.

Harry and Meghan will also reportedly attend the Invictus Games, the international sporting competition that Harry founded for wounded military personnel and veterans, which opens in Dusseldorf, Germany, on Sept. 9.

The couple, who married in May 2018, stepped down as senior royals and moved to North America in 2020. They are now based in California.