King Charles ‘is too busy to see his estranged son Prince Harry’, in London this week

Prince Harry has form in telling the world how he is a victim and this week, while in London, Team Sussex claims the King is too busy for a father-son chat. It seems to have backfired.

Prince Harry, Patron of the Invictus Games Foundation onstage at an event in London. Picture: Getty Images.

It took just hours after the London arrival of Prince Harry for his PR machine to crank into gear.

No, they said, Harry won’t be meeting his father King Charles this week while he is in the United Kingdom for three days of meetings concerning the Invictus Games.

Perhaps the missive was to get on the front foot and make Charles, still battling cancer, and the “wicked” stepmother, (as Harry described her) and now Queen, Camilla, look churlish. Perhaps Harry could be the victim here? Now where have we seen that before by the Ginger Whinge?

In a statement put out by the Sussex PR team, Harry let the world know: “In response to the many inquiries and continued speculation on whether or not the Duke will meet with his father while in the UK this week, it, unfortunately, will not be possible due to His Majesty’s full program.

“The Duke of course is understanding of his father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon.’’

But as a publicity move, it was a big mistake.

Within minutes of Team Sussex announcement, readers’ comments and airwaves were full of support of Charles’ distancing from his youngest son.

Much was made of how the Sussexes, even with this particular announcement, can’t keep their trap shut in connection to family matters.

If its not Oprah, it’s a book, or a Netflix show, it’s a press statement.

Charles, tentatively returning to public duties while still being treated for cancer probably doesn’t need the upset, or a prolongation of tension that Harry, 39, alongside wife Meghan, has created with his public characterisations of Camilla, his brother Prince William and Princess Catherine since leaving the Royal Family four years ago.

The Palace was probably also mindful of the proximity this week to Harry and Meghan’s private tour of Nigeria which has the portents to become a circus-like quasi royal extravaganza.

However, despite what Harry’s team are saying, palace aides believe Charles will find time to meet with Harry over the coming days for a private chat.

Charles met with the Fiji prime minister on Tuesday and has scheduled meetings on Wednesday. They including hosting a Buckingham Palace garden party in the afternoon and a weekly meeting with the prime minister Rishi Sunak.

Prince Harry spent Tuesday in meetings with supporters of the Invictus Games Foundation – many of whom were the driving force behind the London 2012 Olympic Games.

In the foundation program, Harry said: “What began as a vision to pay tribute to the courage and resilience of wounded, injured, and sick service personnel and veterans, has flourished into an international organisation built on hope, strength, and unity.”

Harry last saw the King for a short 30 minutes in early February when Charles’ cancer diagnosis was made public.

Prior to that he hadn’t spoken face-to-face with Charles for 16 months.

Harry’s rocky relationships with his family comes as the Sussexes have not travelled to Britain with their children in the past two years, which has not helped repair the fractured atmosphere.

Prince Archie turned five earlier this week, and Princess Lilibet who will be three next month, have no meaningful relationship with their English family, especially cousins, Princes George and Louis, and Princess Charlotte.

And as far as the British public is concerned, the further and longer Harry – and even more so Meghan – stays away, the better.