King Charles enjoys close relationships with several of his family members, especially his grandkids, Prince George, Prince Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Unfortunately, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet live in California, on the other side of the world, and their relationship with their grandfather is supposedly non-existent.
By all accounts, King Charles is unlikely to see his grandchildren in the United States very soon. Prince Harry has made it clear that he would not bring his wife and children to the UK unless they are given the necessary safety. To that purpose, he reportedly urged his father to assist him in arranging said protection, which the king – according to rumors – is unable to provide.
Harry and Meghan Markle have been ᴀᴄᴄᴜsᴇᴅ of ’emotional blackmailing’ the monarch by using their children to gain the aforementioned protection, although Charles is claimed to be eager to see Archie and Lilibet.
According to a new source, Harry’s children have become a focal point in Charles and Harry’s ongoing quarrel, and they may be the reason why the monarch would not completely cut off his son.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have found themselves in a difficult situation with the Royal Family. Given what has been stated about the monarchy, it is not unexpected that Prince William and Kate Middleton seem to want nothing to do with them.
King Charles, on the other hand, appears to be at least willing to preserve a working relationship with them, and his intentions may be influenced by his two grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
King Charles’ relationship with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet
King Charles’ complicated relationship with Harry and Meghan has prevented him from seeing his grandchildren in the United States. As previously indicated, Harry believes that bringing his family to the UK poses a security risk since he cannot be guaranteed the protection he believes is required.
“All it takes is for one lone actor who reads this stuff to act on what they’ve read. And whether it’s a knife or acid, these are things that are genuine concerns for me. It’s one of the reasons why I won’t bring my wife back to this country,” Harry said in the ITV documentary Tabloids On Trial.
The security of the Sussexes in the United Kingdom has been a long-standing topic of discussion. Harry has challenged it in court and plans to do so again in the near future.
According to People, Harry is prepared to challenge a court order that maintained the decision to deny him state-funded security in the UK. An insider informed the US news outlet that Harry wants his prior security powers reinstated, which would allow him, his wife, and their two children more flexibility while visiting the UK.
But, while security is important to Harry, it also serves another role. According to a royal insider speaking with People Magazine, whether or not Harry and his family have security when visiting the UK will have a significant impact on the Duke’s relationship with his father.
“Harry is frightened and feels the only person who can do anything about it is his father,” the royal insider told People.
Another source added: “Harry is determined to protect his own family at all costs.”
“A massive hole in his heart”
While the lack of protection has made Harry reluctant to bring his wife and children to the UK, King Charles is sad at not being able to see his grandkids, Archie and Lilibet. A source close to the king even ᴀᴄᴄᴜsᴇᴅ Harry of ’emotional blackmailing,’ claiming that the Duke has basically told his father that he will never meet Archie and Lilibet again.
According to the Daily Beast, Harry wants to put pressure on Charles to use his power to help the Sussexes have more security when they visit the UK; only time will tell if this technique is effective.
It is unfortunate that Harry believes he will be unable to bring his children to the United Kingdom owing to security concerns. The situation becomes even more terrible when viewed through the eyes of King Charles, who is virtually barred from meeting Archie and Lilibet.
The monarch has apparently only met them a few times. The last visit was years ago, so it’s uncertain whether the children (Archie, 5, and Lilibet, 3) really remember seeing their royal grandfather.
King Charles is claimed to be heartbroken by not having a relationship with Archie and Lilibet. Meanwhile, a US Weekly source claimed that his lack of a link with his US grandchildren has “left a massive hole in his heart that he’s only spent a few fleeting days with them and then video calls on important days.”
According to the source, Charles enjoys a close relationship with Prince William and Kate Middleton’s children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, and he “longs for the same relationship” with his grandchildren in the United States.
While it is tragic that Charles, as a grandpa, is unable to visit his grandkids, the issue remains whether he could have made it more accessible.
King Charles “desperate to see” Archie & Lilibet
In a June interview with the Mirror, royal analyst Tom Quinn argued that Charles’ expulsion of Harry and Meghan from Frogmore Cottage in 2023, following the publication of Harry’s tell-all memoir Spare, has made matters much more difficult.
“King Charles would love to be closer to Harry and to have a relationship with his son that actually works,” Quinn said. “But this depends on Harry giving his father cast-iron guarantees that there will be no more books and no more embarrassing interviews.”
According to the royal expert, Charles was considering a travel to the United States in order to resolve his conflict with Harry and meet his grandkids.
Queen Camilla concurs, and Quinn stated that she made a “encouraging effort” to help Charles strengthen the link with Archie and Lilibet by persuading him to send Lilibet a “heartfelt gift and card” for her third birthday on June 4.
“Charles has had discussions about an official visit to the United States at some time in the future, and there is no doubt if it goes ahead, he would build in time to visit his youngest son and his grandchildren,” Quinn added. “But there are mountains of planning to be overcome before that becomes even a remote possibility.”
The royal expert concluded: “King Charles has privately visited many other countries—he made an unpublicized visit to Transylvania, for example, to check up on his rental properties—so it’s certainly possible that he would make a discreet, private visit to Harry and the children in California. He is desperate to see them and hates the idea that Archie and Lili will not remember him as the warm, friendly grandfather he wants to be.”
It should go without saying that Prince Harry’s frequent charges against the Royal Family have not served him well personally. His brother, William, refuses to speak to him, his mother-in-law, Queen Camilla, has nothing to do with him, and his once-strong tie with his father is shattered.
Prince Archie & Princess Lilibet “written out” of royal narrative, expert says
The Sussexes visited Nigeria and Colombia earlier this year, and both excursions looked to improve their status on the international scene. The British royals, on the other hand, were claimed to be enraged, regarding Harry and Meghan’s activities as those of a couple who continue to act as if they are active members of the monarchy.
Every August, the Royal Family meets at Balmoral to spend time together. Simultaneously, the “royal summit” involves discussions regarding the future. According to the Express, one topic this year was Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. A source informed the UK tabloid that there were conversations regarding whether Harry should even be kept in the line of succession.
Archie and Lilibet will miss out on building friendships with their royal cousins, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, if they are unable to visit the United Kingdom.
When King Charles attended the Japanese State Visit luncheon in June, he made a jest about Pokemon, claiming that the popular phrase ‘must catch ’em all’ “may resonate with my grandchildren.”
On the podcast Royal Confidential, royal expert Kate Mansey discussed the matter, saying, “The first thing you think of is the Waleses because he doesn’t have that connection to the Sussex grandchildren.
Mansey argued whether Harry and Meghan have become so distant that “it’s just so written out of the narrative,” implying that when Charles mentions his grandchildren, it’s thought he means Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
“You don’t even think now, ‘Oh, wonder which grandchildren he’s thinking about,” Mansey said, per the Express. “You think of Charles talking about his grandchildren, the first thing you think of is the Wales’, because he doesn’t have that connection to the Sussex grandchildren.”
King Charles “keener than ever” to build a relationship with Harry & his children
Meghan Markle’s father, Thomas Markle, told the Daily Mail in June that Archie and Lilibet are being “denied the right” to know their relatives.
“It struck me as very sad that Meghan and Harry’s kids are being denied the right to know their cousins, who look like fantastic children, or take part in things like Trooping the Colour, which is their birthright,” Markle said.
“They are getting to the age where they will start to ask questions, as all kids do,” he added. “I find myself wondering how Archie and Lilbet will feel in a few years’ time when they realise all the things they have missed out on.”
King Charles has only had the opportunity to communicate with Prince Archie and Prince Lilibet via FaceTime. That, he believes, is inadequate. According to a Mirror insider, the king is not ‘happy’ with only seeing them on camera.
He’s apparently “keener than ever” to focus on his family, making up for “lost time” after being forced to relinquish several of his royal duties due to ᴄᴀɴᴄᴇʀ ᴛʀᴇᴀᴛᴍᴇɴᴛ.
“The King is absolutely committed to being present in all of his grandchildren’s lives. He values family above everything and whatever the course of his relationship with his son he would never be content with just seeing his grandchildren on the odd video call,” the source said.
Prince Archie & Princess Lilibet is the reason why King Charles “never breaks ties with Harry”
Royal expert Ingrid Seward, book of My Mother and I – The Inside Story of the King and Our Late Queen, adding that “family has always been important” to King Charles.
“He remembers his own somewhat fragmented childhood as his parents were always busy doing their duty. It is a great sadness to him he doesn’t see more of Archie and Lilibet,” she told the Mirror.
“That is why he will never break ties with Harry. He does not want a FaceTime relationship with his son’s children. He wants to know them and be involved with their lives while they are still young enough to be able to learn from his wisdom. His cancer has made it all the more poignant to him as he knows that he won’t be around for ever.”