Sources have revealed how Prince Harry was informed about King Charles’s recent hospital visit—and the reason behind the decision.

It has been claimed that Harry learned of his father’s brief hospital stay for side effects related to his cancer treatment at the same time as the rest of the world. The Duke of Sussex, who has been estranged from the Royal Family since stepping away from royal duties and relocating to the U.S. with Meghan Markle in 2020, reportedly did not receive any private notification about the King’s condition before the public announcement. Monday marks the fifth anniversary of his departure from royal life, commonly known as Megxit.

Last year, when news broke of the monarch’s cancer diagnosis, Harry made a quick trip back to the U.K., staying for just over 24 hours. During that visit, he had a short meeting with his father at Clarence House before returning to the U.S.

However, this time, it appears he only learned of Charles’s latest health update through media reports late Thursday evening. That night, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the King “required a short period of observation in hospital” due to side effects from his treatment.

Despite the brief hospital stay, the Palace assured the public that Charles had returned to Clarence House that same evening to recover. His scheduled engagements for Friday were postponed so he could “prioritise his recovery.” He is now resting at Highgrove, his Gloucestershire residence.

Meanwhile, insiders suggest that Harry is feeling “lonelier than ever” in Montecito as his father’s health struggles continue and Meghan focuses on her own business ventures.

A source told The Sun, “First he was a spare to William, now he’s increasingly looking like a spare to Meghan—and it’s not a great look.”

Reports claim that Harry was not informed about his father’s hospital visit in advance because the Palace wanted to avoid causing “unnecessary alarm.”

A friend of the duke revealed, “He [Prince Harry] misses his family terribly, but no one is speaking to him anymore. He just wants to go for a beer with the guys, but his only friends are just the husbands of Meghan’s friends.”

Following his brief visit to England last year, Harry appeared on Good Morning America, where he stated, “I love my family.”