Prince Harry returns to California after a whirlwind 24-hour flight to London

Cheerio, London.

Prince Harry is already on his way back home to Montecito, California, after just 24 hours on home soil.

The Duke of Sussex, 39, arrived in London just after 2pm local time on Tuesday just 45 minutes before visiting his ailing father, King Charles III.

Harry smiled as he returned to London's Heathrow Airport on Wednesday afternoon after being escorted to Clarence House in a procession from the same airport yesterday.

If the Duke takes the 3pm British Airways flight from Heathrow, he is expected to land at LAX just after 6pm local time.

The exiled king reportedly spent the night in a London hotel after his brief meeting with his father, despite having a large number of royal residences at his disposal.

Harry's mad dash across the Atlantic is reminiscent of his whirlwind trip to London for his father's coronation on May 6, 2023.

The father of two took an urgent flight from LAX to London on Monday night after learning the news of King Charles' cancer diagnosis.

For his part, Charles begins outpatient cancer treatment this week.

He and his wife, Queen Camilla, were flown to Sandringham by helicopter from Buckingham Palace on Tuesday afternoon.

Harry is heading home to Montecito, California, where his wife, Meghan Markle, is staying with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

The “Suits” alumna, 42, decided not to join her husband on his urgent trip because she felt “it was something he had to do alone,” Grant Harrold, King Charles’ former butler, exclusively told The Post this week.

It is understood Harry did not meet William during his 24-hour stint in London, as the feuding brothers had “no plans to meet”.

“It was a quick turnaround — was that intentional? Did Harry not want to be around him? It's possible,” Harold exclusively told The Post.

“Harry may have decided to come and just focus on his father, but obviously that opens up questions about the relationship between Harry and William not being great.”

“When it comes to family, you'd like to think Harry would have seen some other family members during his fleeting visit,” Harold added.

Elsewhere, Harry's estranged brother, Prince William, was seen for the first time since his return to royal duties.

The Prince of Wales, 41, hosted a star-studded investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on Wednesday morning, where he distributed more than 50 tributes on behalf of his ailing father.

In the evening, the father-of-three is expected to attend a fundraising dinner for the London Air Ambulance Charity in his capacity as patron of the organisation.