King Charles III sees 'flickers of hope' with Harry and Meghan

UK's new monarch said to be encouraged by chats he had with his son and daughter-in-law at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral

Doria Ragland, Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attend the Ms Foundation Women of Vision Awards in New York City. Getty

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies in Los Angeles in April. Getty

The royal couple speak onstage at the Robert F Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Gala in New York in December 2022. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan watch as the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is placed into the hearse following the state funeral service at Westminster Abbey in central London in September 2022. AP

Prince Harry and Meghan pay their respects at the Palace of Westminster. Getty

Prince Harry, Meghan and Kate, Princess of Wales, attend a service for the reception of Queen Elizabeth's coffin at Westminster Hall. AFP

The Princess of Wales, Prince William, Prince Harry and Meghan meet members of the public outside Windsor Castle. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan leave after a service of thanksgiving for the queen. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York in September 2021. AP

Prince Harry and Meghan on the cover of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world edition, in September 2021. Reuters

Prince Harry and Meghan are interviewed by Oprah Winfrey in March 2021. Reuters

Prince Harry and Meghan shared this image on social media in February 2021 to announce they were expecting their second child. AFP

Prince Harry and Meghan visit Canada House, London, in January 2020. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan visit Auwal Mosque on Heritage Day during their royal tour of South Africa in September 2019. Getty

Prince Harry, Meghan and their son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor in South Africa in September 2019. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan meet Beyonce Knowles-Carter and Jay-Z at the European Premiere of Disney's The Lion King at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square, London, in July 2019. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan pose for a photo with the New York Yankees before their baseball game against the Boston Red Sox at London Stadium in June 2019. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan pose with their newborn son Archie in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle in May 2019. Getty

Meghan, joined by her mother Ms Ragland, shows her new son to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip at Windsor Castle in May 2019. AP

Prince Harry and Meghan officially open Number 7, a Feeding Birkenhead citizen’s supermarket and community cafe in Merseyside in January 2019. Getty

Prince William, the Princess of Wales, Meghan and Prince Harry attend a Christmas Day church service at the Church of St Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham estate in December 2018. Getty

Prince William, Prince Harry, Meghan and the Duchess of Cambridge attend a service marking the centenary of the First World War armistice at Westminster Abbey in November 2018. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan visit Redwoods Tree Walk in October 2018 in Rotorua, New Zealand. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan visit an exhibition of Tongan handicrafts at the Fa'onelua Convention Centre in October 2018 in Nuku'alofa, Tonga. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan visit the University of the South Pacific in October 2018 in Suva, Fiji. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan address the public during a Community Event at Victoria Park in October 2018 in Dubbo, Australia. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan meet a koala during a visit to Taronga Zoo in October 2018 in Sydney, Australia. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan arrive at the University of Chichester's Engineering and Digital Technology Park during an official visit to West Sussex in October 2018. Getty

The queen, Meghan, Prince Harry, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge watch the RAF 100th anniversary fly-past from the balcony of Buckingham Palace in July 2018. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan on their wedding day in May 2018. Getty

Prince Harry places a wedding ring on his new wife's finger. Getty

Meghan and Prince Harry head to their evening wedding reception at Frogmore House. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan walk through the corridors of the Palace of Holyroodhouse on their way to a reception for young people at the Palace in February 2018 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Getty

Prince Harry and his then-fiancee Meghan visit Nottingham for their first official public engagement together in December 2017. Getty

King Charles III reportedly saw “tremendous flickers of hope” for rapprochement after speaking with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral.

Britain’s new monarch is said to be encouraged by the conversations he had with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after the family united following the queen’s death on September 8.

“It remains the case that the king loves both of his children,” a source told UK journalists.

“Over the last 16 days or so, there were tremendous flickers of hope. In terms of the future, there is hope of a cause for unity.”

It is not known whether the king, who referenced the couple in his televised address to the nation, met with Prince Harry alone during their trip to the UK to attend the funeral.

Prince Harry is reportedly seeking to make last-minute “refinements” to his autobiography because he fears some of it may not be well received after his grandmother’s death.

The Duke of Sussex is said to be worried that it may be seen as “insensitive” following the recent flood of support for the British monarchy.

But experts have questioned whether the changes may be too late for publisher Penguin Random House, which has already signed off the final draft.

The first book is expected to be published in late November, in time for the Christmas shopping rush.

Sources claim the duke was not told of his grandmother’s death before it was announced to the public. Prince Harry had travelled alone to the queen's Balmoral estate in Scotland, where she died.

Buckingham Palace say the prince was contacted in the minutes before it released a statement confirming his grandmother's death.

Flags at royal residences returned to full mast on Tuesday following the end of the family’s official seven-day mourning period for the queen.

Officials said the king carried out one official engagement during royal mourning, a telephone audience with the Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng, on Thursday evening, on the eve of his tax-cutting mini budget.

The king and Queen Consort Camilla are expected to remain at his Scottish home of Birkhall until early October, following the tradition set by the late monarch.

The queen would normally spend about 10 weeks at her Scottish home during summer, returning to London around the time the autumn session of Parliament began.

The new Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate, will be out and about on Tuesday, when they will travel the length of Wales.

The couple will first visit Holyhead in Anglesey, in the north of the country, before travelling to Swansea in the south-west.

They had promised to pay a trip at the earliest opportunity following the queen's death, hoping to begin "deepening the trust and respect" they have with the people of Wales.