Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly set to visit the UK for a series of Invictus Games promotional events, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expected to bring their children, Archie and Lilibet, with them.
It has been four lengthy years since King Charles last saw his Californian grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet. His Majesty hasn’t had the opportunity to visit them since 2022, when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle travelled with their children to London for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.
However, there’s a possibility of a family gathering next month.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are anticipated to accompany Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, as part of a programme of promotional activities preceding the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham.
But according to former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond, it represents a final opportunity: “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.
Much has transpired since that significant day in January 2020 when Harry and Meghan declared on Instagram their intention to “step back as ‘senior’ members” of the British royal family, divide their time between the United Kingdom and North America, and pursue financial independence.
However, some of Harry’s bitterness towards his family, which was notably expressed during the couple’s 2021 interview, and elaborated upon in his memoir Spare, seems to have diminished. The Duke has subsequently stated that he’s “forgiven his family.”
One of the principal causes of Harry’s bitterness was the Palace’s unwillingness to provide sufficient security for his family during their visits to the UK. Following the announcement of this visit, Jennie observes: “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.”
Yet while we can deduce that some arrangement has been reached regarding the security matter, the potentially more significant question concerns whether the King and the Prince will actually meet.
Nevertheless, Jennie suggests, His Majesty faces “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 observes. “There is absolutely no sign of any thaw in the brotherly feud.”
Amongst the British public, the Prince of Wales is widely regarded as the most popular living royal, with recent polls awarding him a 77% approval rating.
Meghan, however, lingers near the bottom of the rankings, with only the effectively exiled Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor securing a worse rating.
Small, yet highly-vocal demonstrations have emerged at numerous royal public engagements in recent months. Meghan will “undoubtedly be shielded from any hostile crowd,” Jennie anticipates, and within the Invictus community, Meghan remains “still a star and can expect the warmest of welcomes.”
The reception that she and her husband receive from the royal family, however, remains difficult to predict.
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