Prince Harry Drama Reportedly Leaves King Charles Heartbroken For His Grandkids After Coronation
With five grandchildren and five step-grandchildren, King Charles has embraced his role as a grandparent. Charles has entertained Queen Camilla's grandchildren with his dramatic read-aloud skills. "He reads Harry Potter and he can do all the different voices and I think children really appreciate that," the queen explained in the documentary "Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70" (per Express). During the 2022 Platinum Jubilee, the king showed off his calming skills by cuddling and bouncing Prince Louis on his lap — a significant moment shared between grandfather and grandson that went viral.
Back in 2013, before he became a grandfather, Charles observed, "It is very important to create a bond when they are very young," (via The Telegraph). While the monarch has spent time building a relationship with William and Catherine, Prince and Princess of Wales' three children, he hasn't had the same experience with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's two kids. Charles did have a chance to be with Prince Archie briefly when he was a baby before the Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved to California, however, the king has only had one visit with his youngest grandchild, Princess Lilibet, who he met around her first birthday when the Sussexes visited for the Platinum Jubilee. Speaking to People, a royal source called the experience "very emotional."
Unfortunately, Charles didn't have a similar opportunity for his coronation, since Meghan, Archie, and Lilibet stayed home. During a family celebration after the historic ceremony, Charles indicated how much he misses Harry's children.
King Charles made a birthday toast to Archie
King Charles III had hoped to get some time to visit with Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, during a family lunch after his May 6 coronation ceremony. Instead, Harry declined the invitation, opting to head home after an under 24-hour coronation visit to Britain. Charles was "genuinely quite disappointed that he didn't stay," a source informed the Daily Mail. In addition to toasting William, Prince of Wales' three children for their participation in the event, Charles paid tribute to "those that weren't there," and included birthday greetings for Prince Archie "wherever he was" (per Daily Mail).
"Charles is a doting grandpa, and I have no doubt that apart from all the acrimony it pains him to be separated from two of his five grandchildren," royal author Christopher Andersen told Fox News Digital. However, even though she decided not to come for the coronation, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, has indicated she'd like to see a connection between Charles and Archie and Princess Lilibet. "She wants her children to know their grandfather, Charles, particularly when they are not going to know their other grandfather [Markle's long-estranged father, Thomas Markle]," a source shared with Page Six.
Giving Charles the chance to get to know Archie and Lilibet is especially important in light of Harry's rift with the royals. By getting to know their grandfather, Charles can be "the link between cousins and other members of the extended family," Sarah Hawkins, CEO of National Family Mediation, explained to Express.