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King Charles will miss Prince Harry’s visit to London for hiking in Transylvania

King Charles and Prince Harry - Samir Hussein/WireImage
King Charles and Prince Harry - Samir Hussein/WireImage

The King will miss the Duke of Sussex’s visit to London next week as he plans to go hiking on his own in Transylvania, The Telegraph understands.

Prince Harry is returning to the High Court in early June as he takes Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) to court over allegations of phone hacking.

However the King’s solo trip to Romania, planned for five days over next week, will coincide with his son’s rare appearance in the UK, meaning the pair are unlikely to see one another.

It comes after the Duke’s flying visit to England for his father’s Coronation earlier this month, where he was in such a rush to get home to California that he was still wearing his medals and morning suit when he arrived for his return flight at Heathrow Airport.

It is understood that the Duke spent the night in Windsor at Frogmore Cottage but did not see his brother the Prince of Wales nor speak with his father or stepmother.

Prince Harry made a fleeting visit for the King's Coronation on May 6 - POOL/via REUTERS
Prince Harry made a fleeting visit for the King's Coronation on May 6 - POOL/via REUTERS

It also follows an earlier surprise trip that the Duke paid to the UK in late March for another phone hacking lawsuit claim, this one against the Daily Mail, during which he did not see the King, who was said to be too busy at Highgrove.

It is now understood that the King’s upcoming trip to Romania will fall next week, during which he will recuperate after his Coronation, and will see him stay in his home in rural Transylvania.

The Queen will not be accompanying him on the trip, preferring instead to remain in her Wiltshire home.

During his annual visits to his beloved Transylvania home, the King is understood to enjoy spending his days hiking in the hills and painting, as well as tucking into a book in the evenings.

King Charles has a long history with Romania, where he now owns at least 10 properties after purchasing his first, an 18th-century Saxon house nestled in the village of Viscri, in 2006.

The surrounding countryside of his Viscri home offers botanical excursions and wildflower meadows for the green-fingered monarch, as well as hiking trails and horseback riding.

There is no wifi, TV or radio in the King’s property, but the drawing room now has a “small hi-fi player with CDs”.

Duke to give evidence in person

Meanwhile, Prince Harry is expected to give evidence in person at the MGN trial in London early next week, which will pitch him directly against former Mirror editor Piers Morgan, who has become one of the Sussexes’ most vocal critics.

Evidence in his claim is expected to take three days, including opening statements, his time in the witness box, when he will be cross-examined, and MGN’s witnesses.

He is one of a number of high-profile figures bringing damages claims against the newspaper group over alleged unlawful information gathering at its titles.

At the start of the trial, MGN said it accepted there had been unlawful information gathering in relation to the Duke, for which it “unreservedly apologises”.

It denies phone hacking, but said its past activities “warrant compensation” in his case.