King Charles has not seen his youngest grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, since June 2022, and royal experts fear he may never see them again. According to royal commentator Rob Shuter, Meghan Markle has made a "furious vow" to never return to the UK with her children, following what she perceives as repeated rejections from the royal family.
Meghan's alleged revenge plot
Speaking on his Naughty But Nice Substack, Shuter claimed that well-placed sources say Meghan feels she and Prince Harry have "bent over backwards" for his relatives, "only to be embarrassed again." The Duchess reportedly predicted drama surrounding Harry's return to Britain for the Invictus Games anniversary and warned her husband this would happen. Shuter added: "As far as she's concerned, she'll never see them again."
The latest incident involves an offer for Harry to stay at Buckingham Palace being withdrawn, which Shuter called "one insult too many." Meghan is said to believe that every time Harry reaches out to his family, they find another way to reject him. "She's done. She has no interest in ever putting herself, or her children, through this again," Shuter wrote.
Impact on King Charles and the children
The King, who turns 77 this year and is battling an undisclosed form of cancer, has been desperate to reunite with his grandchildren. Reports indicate he "would not pass up the opportunity to spend time with his grandchildren" and was doing everything possible to make a reunion happen during Harry's visit. However, plans for the children to join Harry in the UK were scrapped after it was confirmed they would not receive taxpayer-funded police security.
Prince Archie is now seven years old and Princess Lilibet is five. Lilibet was only one year old when she last saw her grandfather. According to HELLO! magazine, Harry remains in "frequent" contact with his father, but sharing memories of his children is difficult amid the ongoing rift.
Public drama and private pain
The on-off speculation about a reunion has been described as "the ultimate revenge" by commentators, with Meghan allowing the media to whip up excitement about a long-awaited meeting only to dash those hopes publicly. The children were reportedly "very excited" at the prospect of visiting the UK for the first time in four years. Critics argue that the drama harms both the King and the children, and call for a private, low-key meeting without public announcements.
As King Charles battles his health issues, many hope that a reconciliation can occur soon, away from the media spotlight. "Life really is too short not to," one commentator noted.
