King Charles' Offer Ahead Of Harry & Meghan's UK Visit Hints Icy Royal Rift Could Be Thawing As We Speak

The longest winter in British history may actually be coming to an end! And by "longest winter," we mean the years-long feud between King Charles III and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. The royal father and son were on shaky terms long before Harry married Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex; as most people know, the duke has claimed Charles didn't give him the emotional and physical support he needed as the "spare" to the throne who lost his mother at a tender age. The Sussexes' decision to step down from their royal duties only thickened the ice between Harry and The Firm, as did Harry's long legal battle over securing government protection for himself and his family during visits back home. 

Now, new reports suggest a long-awaited reconciliation may be just weeks away. Scheduled to travel to the U.K. to mark the year-long countdown to the Invictus Games, Harry is reportedly bringing not only Meghan, but also their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Charles, in turn, is said to be holding out a large olive branch of his own: The Sun reports that the monarch has offered to put up the whole family in one of his royal properties — possibly Buckingham Palace itself — which, with their round-the-clock guards, could assuage Prince Harry's concerns about security for his family.

Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet are making their return to the U.K. sooner than previously thought, as it was long assumed that Prince Harry wouldn't budge on his conditions of obtaining the highest level of security before he would risk his family's safety by taking them across the pond.

Another condition of the visit, reports The Sun, is that King Charles gets to spend some time with his grandchildren. The monarch is said to be "overjoyed" at the prospect, and presumably his staff is working to squeeze it into his schedule. Archie and Lilibet were last in London for Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebration in June 2022, which also coincided with Lili's first birthday. Now, at seven and five years old, the kids are old enough not only to enjoy an overseas trip, but also to make real memories and realize that Charles isn't your average pipe-and-slippers, rocking-chair grandpa.

At the time of this post, there was no word on whether Meghan Markle will be joining her family during their reunion. She may opt to stay behind so as not to pull focus or add to any tension between father and son at a moment when they might be starting to achieve a real peace. If this visit is successful, perhaps the Sussexes will be able to make more of them in the near future.