King Charles III and Queen Camilla have privately hosted the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, Meghan, and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, in what marks a significant moment in efforts to ease long-running tensions within the Royal Family….
King Charles III and Queen Camilla have privately hosted the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, Meghan, and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, in what marks a significant moment in efforts to ease long-running tensions within the Royal Family.
Buckingham Palace confirmed on Friday that the family gathering took place earlier in the day at Highgrove House, the King’s private residence in Gloucestershire.
The Palace described the visit as “a private family occasion.”
The meeting marked the first time King Charles has seen his grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet, in person in more than four years. It also represents the first visit to the United Kingdom by Prince Harry and Meghan together since they attended Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022.
Relations between the Sussexes and the Royal Family have remained strained since Prince Harry and Meghan stepped back from royal duties and relocated to the United States in 2020.
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According to BBC sources, both the King and Prince Harry were keen to meet during the Duke’s latest visit to Britain, with the monarch particularly eager to spend time with his two grandchildren.
Prince Harry had been in the UK this week attending a series of engagements, including activities linked to the Invictus Games for wounded, injured and sick service personnel.
Although it had earlier been confirmed that Meghan and the children would not accompany him to public events during the final days of his visit, they joined him for the private family meeting at Highgrove.
The location where the Sussex family is staying during the visit has not been disclosed.
While Harry was meeting his father, Queen Camilla and his family, his elder brother, Prince William, the Prince of Wales, was participating in a charity polo match in Windsor.
Despite the reunion with the King, there are no plans for Prince Harry and Prince William to meet during the visit, with reports indicating that relations between the brothers remain fractured.
Earlier on Friday, Prince Harry attended an Invictus Games event in Birmingham, where he received a warm welcome from athletes and supporters. During the engagement, he participated in activities including pickleball and wheelchair rugby.
The Duke’s visit had initially attracted widespread attention following uncertainty over whether Meghan and their children would travel to the UK.
Earlier plans suggested the Duchess would attend public engagements in London and Birmingham, but those arrangements were later dropped following disagreements over security provisions.
There was also confusion before Harry’s arrival over reports that he would stay at Buckingham Palace. While his representatives announced he had accepted an invitation to stay there, Palace officials later clarified that he had already been informed accommodation at the royal residence would not be available.
Before the private family reunion on Friday, King Charles carried out official engagements in Oxfordshire, including the opening of a new building at the University of Oxford and attending the launch of a space initiative alongside British astronaut Tim Peake.
Earlier in the week, the King and Queen also visited London Zoo as Britain continued to experience a prolonged summer heatwave.
