Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and their two young children met with Great Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla on Friday, in the first time Markle and the kids have met with Charles in the last four years.
While it appeared Harry’s current United Kingdom excursion — slated to last less than a week — would include numerous activities, it remained unclear if he’d be accompanied by Markle and their kids at some point.
On Friday, Buckingham Palace confirmed a much-anticipated reunion of semi-estranged royals took place at the Highgrove House country estate west of London.
Royal watchers speculated that the meeting may be the start of a reconciliation between the 77-year-old monarch and his 41-year-old youngest son.
Tensions within the royal family piqued the interest of U.S. tabloids in 2020 when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they would no longer be working members of the House of Windsor. That arrangement was confirmed by Queen Elizabeth a short time later. Relationships among the nobles had since grown frosty.
It’s been four years since King Charles last saw his 7-year-old grandson Archie and 5-year-old granddaughter Lilibet.
The prince’s recent visit began Monday to initiate the long countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games a year from now that he launched in 2014 to honor wounded veterans.
Markle — the 44-year-old duchess and former “Suits” star — was not expected to attend public events with her husband during his time in London, according to USA Today. Security concerns were cited as a possible factor.
The BBC reported earlier in the week that Harry would not be staying at Buckingham Palace during his visit, though the scion’s associates said he had an invitation to do so. But sources close to the royal family claim that offer was rescinded last week when Harry failed to accept it in a timely manner.
A spokesperson for the prince called that turn of events “disappointing.”
There appeared to be confusion over the proposed arrangement.
British tabloid The Telegraph generated excitement Thursday by claiming a family reunion was imminent despite all the drama.
Harry and Markle married in May 2018 in a lavish ceremony in England before relocating to a $14 million California home two years later, according to People.
The prince wrote about friction between himself and his British kin in his 2023 memoir “Spare.” That followed a 2021 interview he and Markel did with Oprah Winfrey on their decision to break away from the British aristocracy.
Daily News gossip columnist Richard Johnson reported Harry, Markle and their children were recently spotted in Portugal during the July Fourth weekend. Harry was said to have been contemplating bringing his children to meet the king. Charles continues receiving treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer first made public in 2024.
Harry attended his father’s 2023 coronation to the throne unaccompanied.
With News Wire Services
