Next month sees King Charles's first opportunity in years to meet with his Californian grandchildren - but he's faced with a 'delicate balancing act'.
Four Years Since Last Meeting
It has been four long years since King Charles caught a glimpse of his Californian grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet. His Majesty hasn't had an opportunity to see them since 2022, when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle brought their children to London for Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee. But there's a chance of a family reunion next month.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expected to bring Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, with them as part of a series of promotional events leading up to the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham.
A Last Chance for Reconciliation
However, according to former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond, it's very much a last chance: “If King Charles finds some excuse to avoid them, it's game over. The rift will surely be permanent,” she writes in The i newspaper.
A lot has happened since that fateful day in January 2020 when Harry and Meghan announced on Instagram their decision to “step back as 'senior' members” of the British royal family, split their time between the United Kingdom and North America, and work towards becoming financially independent.
But some of Harry's resentment towards his family, which was famously aired during the couple's 2021 interview and expanded upon in his memoir Spare, appears to have faded. The Duke has since said that he's “forgiven his family.”
Security Concerns Addressed
One of the main sources of Harry's resentment was the Palace's refusal to fund adequate security for his family whenever they were in the UK. In light of this visit being announced, Jennie says: “We can only assume that Harry has been given a rock-solid assurance – either temporary or permanent – that he and his family will be given proper security.”
But while we can infer that some agreement has been reached over the security issue, the perhaps more important question is whether the King and the Prince will actually meet.
Balancing Act with Prince William
Any rapprochement with Harry risks alienating William, Jennie says. His Majesty is faced with “the most delicate balancing act,” as Prince William's anger towards his younger brother has reportedly not diminished since the publication of Spare: “If [King Charles] makes peace with his youngest son, his loyal and steadfast older son will have his nose royally put out of joint,” Jennie says. “There is absolutely no sign of any thaw in the brotherly feud.”
Among the British public, the Prince of Wales is generally considered to be the most popular living royal, with recent polls giving him a 77% approval rating. Meghan, though, languishes near the bottom of the rankings, with only the effectively exiled Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor earning a worse rating.
Protests and Warm Welcome
Small, but highly-vocal protests have formed at many royal public appearances in recent months. Meghan will “undoubtedly be shielded from any hostile crowd,” Jennie predicts, and among the Invictus community, Meghan is “still a star and can expect the warmest of welcomes.”
The welcome that she and her husband receive from the royal family, though, remains hard to predict.
