King Charles and Prince Harry finally came face to face earlier this year but despite warm smiles and exchanged gifts, insiders say the reunion felt less like a family catch up and more like a carefully choreographed diplomatic call.

The 55 minute meeting at Clarence House marked the first time father and son had spoken in person for 19 months, yet sources insist it unfolded on the King’s tightly controlled timetable. 

Harry reportedly slipped into London between the monarch’s scheduled audiences during what palace insiders privately dubbed a “faux royal” visit hardly the relaxed homecoming some had imagined.

According to OK! Magazine, Harry left feeling less like a prodigal son and more like a formal visitor. 

One insider close to the duke said he later joked that the meeting was so official he might as well have arrived with a diplomatic badge.

Harry had apparently hoped for something warmer and more personal after such a long gap.  

The duke brought a framed photograph of himself with Meghan Markle and their children, Archie and Lilibet.

The King’s grandchildren he has not seen since the Platinum Jubilee in 2022. Charles, for his part, offered a birthday gift, with Harry’s 41st just days away.

Crucially, insiders stress that the conversation steered well clear of Harry’s future role, if any, within the royal setup. 

A senior figure with knowledge of the talks was blunt: there was no discussion of duties, responsibilities or hybrid arrangements. 

King Charles remains firmly aligned with the Sandringham Agreement reached in January 2020, when Queen Elizabeth ruled out Harry’s request for a part-time royal role while living overseas. That decision, insiders insist, is not being revisited.

DUBAI: Pakistan Under-19 captain Farhan Yousaf has set his sights on World Cup success after leading his side to victory over India in the Asia Cup 2025 final, underlining the team’s growing confidence on the international stage.

“Our next aim is simple,” Yousaf said in an interview with Geo News after the victory. “We want to be world champions.”

Yousaf said the team remained composed despite losing the toss, adding that being asked to bat first proved decisive on a pitch that favoured batting.

“We were disappointed to lose the toss, but once we were put in to bat, we were happy because the wicket looked good,” he said. “We stuck to the plan we had discussed and executed it well.”

Pakistan posted a formidable total of 347 runs, a score that allowed the captain to demand an aggressive approach from his bowlers.

“After we got that total, I told the bowlers to think as if they were defending 250 and to attack from the start,” he said. “They kept that mindset, took wickets and applied pressure.”

The final was played in front of a packed crowd that included both Pakistani and Indian supporters, adding to the intensity of the occasion.

“Playing such an important match with fans from both countries in the stadium made it even more enjoyable,” Yousaf said.

With the Asia Cup secured, Pakistan’s Under-19 side will next compete in a tri-nation series in Zimbabwe before turning their attention to the Under-19 World Cup.

Born in Kasur, Punjab, on December 15, 2006, Yousaf is a right-handed middle-order batter and one of Pakistan’s emerging leaders, now focused firmly on translating continental success into global silverware.