“Desperate” King Charles Hopes to Mend Rift with Prince Harry and See Grandchildren
King Charles is reportedly considering an official visit to the United States in the future, aiming to mend the ongoing feud with his youngest son, Prince Harry, and to spend time with his grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
According to royal expert Tom Quinn, the monarch is “desperate” to see his grandchildren and “hates the idea that Archie and Lily will not remember him as the warm friendly grandfather he wants to be,” as reported by the Mirror.
Charles enjoys a close relationship with Prince William’s children but has only met Lilibet once and seen Archie a handful of times. The distance between the King and his youngest grandchildren has been a source of frustration, with occasional video calls from Harry and Meghan’s Montecito mansion serving as the primary means of communication.
“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, but there are mountains of planning to be overcome before that becomes even a remote possibility,” Quinn told the Mirror.
Quinn also suggested that Charles could make a “discreet private visit” to Harry and the children in California, as he has done with other countries in the past. “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,” Quinn added.
Meanwhile, Prince Harry is said to be feeling “homesick” for the UK. Royal commentator Kinsey Schofield mentioned on the To Di For Daily podcast that the duke’s longing for his homeland “depends on the day.” Schofield said, “I’m sure Harry could get homesick, and we know that he is prone to wearing his heart on his sleeve. Meghan has likely permitted him to try to establish an additional residence in the UK if that will make him happy, but I doubt she has any desire to participate in the process or visit.”
Harry has been searching for a “secluded Georgian house” close to his father’s Highgrove estate, according to Quinn. The duke, who has lived in California with his wife Meghan Markle since 2020, has been house-hunting in the UK, but “every house he looks at has drawbacks,” the royal author said.
The Duke of Sussex’s desire to establish a UK base comes amid his ongoing legal battle against the Home Office over the loss of his UK police protection. Harry has stated that his children can’t “feel at home” in the UK if it’s “not possible to keep them safe” there.
In his memoir, “Spare,” released last year, Harry expressed his love for the UK and his disappointment over being evicted from Frogmore Cottage, which he once considered his “forever home.” The couple had been allowed to keep the property as their UK base for several years after receiving it as a wedding present from the late Queen, but King Charles later evicted them in 2023.
As the royal rift continues, Queen Camilla is thought to be encouraging efforts to boost the bond between Charles and his grandchildren. King Charles recently sent Lilibet a “heartfelt gift and card” for her third birthday earlier this month, showing his desire to remain connected despite the physical and emotional distances.