Many members of King Charles’ family, especially his grandchildren Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, enjoy a close bond with him. Unfortunately, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, who live in California, are said to have little to no relationship with their grandfather due to the geographical distance.
It appears that King Charles won’t be seeing his U.S.-based grandchildren anytime soon. Prince Harry has made it clear that he won’t travel to the UK with Meghan Markle and their children unless he receives the security he believes they are entitled to. He has reportedly asked his father to help arrange this protection, but according to rumors, the king is unable to meet those demands.
Despite this, King Charles is reportedly eager to meet Archie and Lilibet. However, Harry and Meghan have been accused of using their children as leverage to gain the security arrangements they want, which some interpret as “emotional blackmail” against the king.
Recent reports suggest that Archie and Lilibet are at the heart of the ongoing tensions between Charles and Harry, which may explain why the king hasn’t fully severed ties with his son.
While relations between Harry, Meghan, and the Royal Family remain strained, particularly with Prince William and Kate Middleton, King Charles appears to want to maintain some form of working relationship, perhaps because of his desire to connect with his youngest grandchildren.
In an interview with the Mirror in June, royal expert Tom Quinn shared that tensions have escalated since King Charles evicted Harry and Meghan from Frogmore Cottage in 2023, following the release of Harry’s memoir Spare. “King Charles hopes to rebuild a functional relationship with his son and stay close to Harry,” Quinn said, adding that this would require Harry to give his father firm assurances that there would be no more revealing books or controversial interviews. Quinn also mentioned that Charles has considered traveling to the U.S. in an effort to reconcile with Harry and meet his grandchildren.
Quinn also noted an effort by Queen Camilla to support Charles in strengthening his relationship with Archie and Lilibet, suggesting that Charles send Lilibet a heartfelt gift and card for her birthday on June 4.
Though Charles has expressed interest in making an official visit to the U.S., Quinn explained that such plans are not yet close to reality. “There are significant logistical hurdles,” she said. However, she did not rule out the possibility of a private visit. Charles has previously made discreet trips abroad, including a visit to his properties in Transylvania, so it’s conceivable that he could quietly visit Harry and his grandchildren in California. The king is reportedly anxious to see them, fearing they won’t remember him as the gentle, kind grandfather he wishes to be.
In a June interview with the Daily Mail, Meghan’s father, Thomas Markle, expressed sadness that Archie and Lilibet have not had the chance to bond with their cousins. “It’s heartbreaking that Meghan and Harry’s children are being kept from their cousins and from participating in events like Trooping the Colour, which is their birthright,” Markle said.
“As they grow older, Archie and Lilibet will begin to ask questions,” he continued. “I can’t help but wonder how they’ll feel when they realize what they’ve missed out on.” So far, King Charles has only been able to communicate with Archie and Lilibet via FaceTime, which he finds unsatisfactory.
A source from the Mirror revealed that Charles is not content with just video calls. The king is “keener than ever” to spend time with his grandchildren and make up for lost time, especially since he had to scale back some of his royal duties following a cancer diagnosis.
“The king is deeply committed to being part of all his grandchildren’s lives,” the insider said. “Family means everything to him, and regardless of how his relationship with Harry evolves, he will never be satisfied with only seeing his grandchildren through video calls.”
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