He may be Sovereign of the United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth realms – but, at the end of the day, King Charles is a husband, father and grandfather. And it’s the latter role that’s apparently causing him much angst behind palace doors right now.
According to insiders, the King, 75, is filled with “great sadness” over his distant relationship with his two youngest grandchildren, Archie, five, and Lilibet, three, which – for the most part – has been limited to FaceTime calls across the pond. It’s said that Charles had begrudgingly accepted the status quo over the past few years, especially since his fractured relationship with son Prince Harry and daughter-in-law Meghan Markle has only worsened since they stepped down as senior royals and moved to Montecito, California, in 2020.
But recently things have changed. Charles’ cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment (which he’s still receiving), coupled with daughter-in-law Kate Middleton’s own cancer battle, has made the estrangement “all the more poignant” – and he’s not the only one who feels it. We’re told that Harry is just as mindful that his father won’t be around forever, and he wants his children to forge a real connection with their grandfather and wider family, who they barely know.
There’s just one problem – Meghan has legitimate reasons for not wanting to return to the UK, having felt maligned and mistreated by the monarchy during the time she lived in the country in the early years of her and Harry’s relationship.
As far as she’s concerned, she has no intention of coming back anytime soon, and is just as uncomfortable with the idea of Harry bringing the kids for a holiday in the UK without her. So, Harry – who recently chose not to attend the wedding of his childhood friend, the Duke of Westminster, as brother William was an usher – is torn between the life he’s created and the one he left behind, with his father’s pain over the circumstances weighing heavily on his mind.
“Harry is desperate to bring his kids for a holiday to the UK and allow them that precious bonding time with their grandfather,” says an insider close to the Duke of Sussex, who has mostly travelled back to his homeland alone over the past few years, and on his last visit, wasn’t able to see Charles because of the monarch’s busy schedule.
“He never imagined that they’d spend such a large chunk of their early years so cut off and isolated from their own flesh and blood, especially the King, who he knows would get so much joy from spending more time with them in person. It saddens him so much that it’s come to this, and what makes it even harder to deal with is the fact that there’s no solution in sight. Everyone knows that Meghan has absolutely no desire or willingness to travel to England any time soon, alone or with the children, and the word is that she’s telling Harry she’s very reluctant to let them travel with him on one of his visits.”
Despite Harry and Meghan’s highly publicised complaints and grievances with the Palace, there’s no denying that there’s been a sea change, especially in Harry’s case, since his father revealed his cancer diagnosis in February. His youngest son immediately jumped on a plane to see him, albeit spending just 25 hours on British soil before he returned to the US. He later said in an interview with Good Morning America that he was “grateful” to have spent some time with Charles, adding, “I love my family.”
When asked if it was possible that a family illness could have a “reunifying effect”, he replied, “Yeah, I’m sure.” But since then, the dial hasn’t quite been shifted. There’s no denying that there’s bad blood and hurt on both sides, as – while Harry and Meghan feel like they were treated poorly by the Palace – Charles and Prince William, especially, feel betrayed by the outbursts and accusations against them.
Still, the fact remains that there are little ones amid the fray, who – as a result of complex family dynamics – haven’t gotten to know their grandfather and the rest of their paternal relatives in the way they should. Archie was born in the UK, but was just a baby when the Sussexes left, while Lilibet was born on US soil. The latter has only met her grandfather once in person, as a baby, when the family travelled to the UK together to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee.
Since then, Charles has enjoyed some friendly catch-ups over the phone and FaceTime, but – according to insiders – he yearns to be “more present in their lives”. To that end, earlier this month, the King reportedly sent Lilibet a “heartfelt gift and card” to mark her third birthday – which, apparently, was yet another reminder to Harry that his father is desperately keen to foster stronger connections. Yet convincing Meghan, we’re told, has only led to tension.
“From her perspective, if the royals don’t have the basic decency to treat them with respect, then how on earth do they expect the privilege of seeing her and Harry’s children?” says our source.
“If and when they’re able to put their past difficulties in the rear-view mirror and collectively move on, then the situation may change. But until then, she’s adamant that they’re staying in California – end of story. It frustrates Harry enormously, and he’s desperate to figure out some type of compromise whereby the King can still see the kids before too long. Harry had such a wonderful relationship with his own grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, and he feels so sad and guilty that his own kids are missing out. It’s all very emotional for him, but at the end of the day, he’s putting Meghan first and respecting her wishes – even if it’s all being done with an extremely heavy heart.”
What makes things all the more upsetting is the fact that Archie and Lilibet have limited extended family on their mum’s side, too. Meghan has been estranged from her father Thomas Markle ever since he staged paparazzi photos before her wedding in 2018. Ironically, it was Charles who stepped in at the time as a father figure, even walking her down the aisle. Meghan also has a rift with her half-siblings, meaning the only other family member who’s a constant in her children’s lives is her mother Doria Ragland.
Of course, her connection with the kids is precious, but it seems a shame to Harry, in particular, that there are still loving family members from his side that don’t get to share that same relationship with his kids.
Despite the stoic reputation of the royals, Charles and Queen Camilla are famously doting grandparents. While the King enjoys a strong relationship with his older grandkids, Prince George, ten, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six, Camilla is equally besotted with her five grandchildren from her first marriage – even having their names embroidered on her grown for the Coronation last year. We’re told the King and Queen are holding out hope that they’ll get to spend quality time in person with Archie and Lilibet soon enough, and that all parties can put their resentment and hostility aside for the sake of it.
“No one is blaming Harry and Meghan – it’s just one of the very sad consequences of this feud,” our insider says. “A lot of people are saying that not being able to see the kids might actually be what ultimately repairs things as it’s hard to imagine the King being able to go much longer without getting to know them. He’s got a real soft spot in his heart when it comes to the children, and the pain of the situation is getting to him.”