The King has reportedly asked his aides to find time in his diary to meet with Harry and Meghan this week
The King is apparently hopeful of meeting Harry and Meghan this week, potentially setting the stage for an emotional family reunion with his grandchildren.
Charles has reportedly directed senior aides to continue discussions with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, with the aim of carving out time in his packed schedule around his official engagements, reports the Mirror.
Royal insiders have disclosed that the King is keen to arrange the get-together, and would be reluctant to miss the chance to see Harry’s children, Archie and Lilibet. Harry flew into the UK alone on Monday, having left Meghan and their children behind following a family holiday in Europe last week.
The King, 77, has only met Archie, seven, on a small number of occasions during the time Harry and Meghan lived in the UK, and has only met five-year-old Lilibet once, when the family returned for the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.
The relationship between the King and his estranged younger son has remained strained since Harry and his wife chose to step back from their royal duties in March 2020, opting instead to build a new life in the United States. However, The Mirror revealed that several private conversations between father and son have taken place in recent weeks, with one source describing the atmosphere as “hopeful”.
Both sides are said to be committed to making a meeting work, giving Harry the opportunity to spend time with his father, and the King with his grandchildren. A royal source said: “While nothing has been ruled out, conversations remain ongoing.”
Another source said: “The King would not pass up the opportunity to spend time with his grandchildren and if there is a way of making it possible, he will do it.”
Discussions between the King and Harry are understood to include the prospect of Meghan and the children arriving in the UK this week for a brief 24-hour visit. Harry is reportedly “frantically” attempting to arrange additional private security to accompany his family on the journey.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex had previously arranged to stay with Harry’s uncle Charles Spencer, Princess Diana’s brother, at his family home Althorp House in Northampton.
Harry has faced a difficult week after being refused permission to stay at Buckingham Palace while in the UK and losing his most recent court battle against the British press. Harry arrived in London on Monday following a family break in Europe, expecting to take up a prior offer of accommodation at Buckingham Palace.
That morning his spokesman revealed that the duke would be spending the week undertaking a series of public engagements, dividing his time between a royal residence and private lodgings. However, just moments later, royal sources responded and clarified that Harry’s request had been turned down on two grounds.
Firstly, his acceptance of the offer to stay at the royal headquarters – aimed at addressing his concerns regarding his personal security while in the UK – was considered to have arrived too late. Furthermore, the imminent delivery of a ruling on Tuesday concerning Harry’s high-profile legal battle against Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail – which he and six others accused of illegal information gathering – was considered constitutionally delicate enough to give the King pause over hosting his son.
Weeks after announcing his intention to visit his home country, initially alongside Meghan and their children, Harry had inexplicably left the palace in limbo over whether he would stay there.
Late last month, the duke was forced into an embarrassing U-turn after declaring his entire family would join him on the trip, following a letter from the Home Office confirming they would not receive taxpayer-funded security during their visit.
Harry’s spokesman hastily issued a statement indicating that, despite the duke having committed to several charitable engagements in the UK — including the one-year countdown to Birmingham hosting the Invictus Games — Meghan, Archie and Lilibet’s attendance remained uncertain.
Harry confirmed last week that he would make the journey alone, citing concerns for his family’s safety. However, as recently as last Saturday, he had still not confirmed his travel arrangements nor responded to the invitation to stay at Buckingham Palace.
Initially, he declined the offer of accommodation, only to reverse his decision just hours later and request lodging at the King’s residence for the evening. To his considerable surprise, the request was turned down. After weeks of mounting tension, the King is understood to have imposed a Friday deadline on the offer.
Harry’s team responded with fury to the news, claiming Buckingham Palace had withdrawn the offer at the eleventh hour. Sources close to the duke went even further, stating he believed “dark forces” inside the Palace were to blame for keeping him and his family from seeing his father.
Just an hour before receiving the judgement in the case, reported to have cost an estimated £50million, Harry appeared jubilant when arriving at Chatham House in London for an event to highlight the work of the Invictus Games.
The duke had accused the press of making his wife’s life an “absolute misery” when he gave evidence in his trial, telling the judge: “They continue to come after me”.
On Tuesday, all of the allegations were dismissed leaving Harry to label the result an “obvious whitewash”.
The duke is due in Birmingham on Thursday to visit Birmingham Children’s Hospital to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first WellChild nurse, a charity he has supported for 15 years.
On Friday, he is set to take to the stage at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre (NEC) to celebrate the countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games.
Buckingham Palace did not provide comment to the Mirror.
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