Prince Harry was not directly informed about King Charles’s brief visit to the hospital on March 27, a royal expert has claimed, after side effects from the monarch’s cancer treatment stopped him carrying out an engagement.

The Sun’s Royal Editor Matt Wilkinson revealed on the A Right Royal Podcast that officials were keen to avoid “dramatising” the situation as they did not want it to appear “more serious than it was”. It has now been claimed Harry found out about the news seemingly at the same time as the rest of the world did. Wilkinson revealed: “Harry wasn’t told. My understanding is that they didn’t want to add to the drama. They didn’t want to add to make it seem like it was more serious than it was. When he [was diagnosed with cancer], they told Harry before, and Harry flew back.” Buckingham Palace had announced that Charles “required a short period of observation in hospital” after experiencing side effects from his cancer treatment.

The King was said to have been feeling well later that day and carried out some work in his study at his home in Clarence House before having dinner with the Queen.

Last year, the Duke of Sussex dashed back home for a little over 24 hours last when it was announced his father had been diagnosed with a type of cancer.

Harry had a brief meeting with King Charles at Clarence House before he jetted off back to the US.

The 76-year-old monarch has been receiving cancer treatment since his diagnosis more than a year ago, but he has been well enough to keep up his public visits.

Next week we will see the King and Queen undertaking a state visit to Italy from April 7 to 10, where the royal couple will be attending a series of public and diplomatic events in Rome and Ravenna.

The King had been scheduled to meet Pope Francis during the trip, but that has been postponed due to the pontiff’s ill-health.

After the cancellation of the Vatican visit due to the Pope’s continuing health issues, the schedule in Rome has now been spread over two days instead of one.

The Italy visit coincides with the King and Queen Camilla’s 20th wedding anniversary.