Prince Charles Is Reportedly Worried About Meghan And Harry Being Back In The Public Eye
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are making a splash at the 2022 Invictus Games, a sporting event founded by Harry for "wounded, injured and sick Servicemen and women." The couple made their first public appearance together at the 2017 games, and are in the Netherlands for this year's event, where they have been happily posing for photos with athletes and spectators, as well as cheering on the competitors.
"To be role models, or the role models, that each of you are takes strength and it takes courage. When I talk to my son, Archie, about what he wants to be when he grows up, some days it's an astronaut, other days it's a pilot — a helicopter pilot, obviously. Or Kwazii from 'Octonauts,'" Harry said during the opening ceremony (per Page Six). "But what I remind him is, that no matter what you want to be when you grow up, it's your character that matters most. And nothing would make his mom and me prouder than to see him have the character of what we see before us today."
Before arriving in the Netherlands, Harry and Meghan made in a stop in London for a secret visit with Queen Elizabeth, as well as Prince Charles, despite the couple's concerns about not receiving police protection while in the U.K. And while sources believe they were welcomed to Windsor Castle with "open arms," according to The Sun, Charles reportedly has some concerns about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex interfering with the queen's Platinum Jubilee.
Prince Charles wants to make sure the Platinum Jubilee is focused on Queen Elizabeth
Not everyone believes Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had the best of intentions during their secret visit with Queen Elizabeth. In fact, some royal insiders think it was a desperate bid to secure a front-row seat to the queen's Platinum Jubilee in June 2022. While the couple would be welcome to attend, Prince Charles wants to make sure the festivities are all about his mother.
"Charles wants the Platinum Jubilee to focus only on the Queen," a source told The Sun. "Many are disappointed that Andrew overshadowed Prince Philip's thanksgiving service and don't want the Meghan and Harry circus to hijack the Jubilee. This is the Queen's show and should be about her and her 70 years of service rather than Meghan's fashion, the kids and Harry. They don't want it to become the Harry and Meghan show. Charles and all the family are agreed on that."
There are also concerns about Harry and Meghan's upcoming Netflix documentary. They have a camera crew with them at the Invictus Games, and the palace is worried that they will "want to film behind the scenes or be in the crowd at the Jubilee as its better footage for the documentary," the source explained.
Although Harry and Meghan haven't confirmed they will be in attendance for the June event, the royal family will reportedly be watching the Invictus Games closely in an attempt to gauge the couple's true intentions.
Prince Harry spoke about his secret meeting with Queen Elizabeth
Prince Harry did reveal some details about his secret meeting with Queen Elizabeth. The prince and his wife, Meghan Markle, stopped in London on their way to the Invictus Games in the Netherlands and met up with Elizabeth at Windsor Castle. Harry told the BBC (per Daily Mail) that his grandmother "had plenty of messages for Team UK, which I have already passed on to most of them," he revealed. "So, it was great to see her. I'm sure she would love to be here if she could."
Royal sources told the Mirror that the meeting between Harry, Meghan and Elizabeth was "very cordial" and "incredibly warm and good natured." The couple reportedly promised the queen that she will get to see their two children — son Archie and daughter Lilibet — soon, which has added to the speculation that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will make the trip abroad with their little ones for the Platinum Jubilee. Queen Elizabeth has yet to meet her great-granddaughter, who was named after her, in person.
Before Elizabeth would meet with Harry and Meghan, however, she insisted that he also pay a visit to his father, Prince Charles.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle also had a short meeting with Prince Charles
Before Queen Elizabeth would meet with Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, she wanted the couple to pay a visit to Prince Charles. Sources told Daily Mail that Harry and Meghan met with Charles for about 15 minutes, with Charles' wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, joining the trio at the halfway point. While the meeting was described as tense, the future King of England has no intention of closing the door on a relationship with Harry.
"He loves his son and he has been broken-hearted by everything that has taken place, although he fears history repeating itself with Harry just as it did with Princess Diana," an insider said. "But he also wants to keep the door open and keep talking, something he still regrets not doing with Diana."
One person who wasn't on-hand to meet with Harry and Meghan: Prince William, who was on a skiing trip with his wife, Kate Middleton, and their three children. In fact, the Duke of Cambridge prefers not to speak about Harry because it "gives him a headache." And while he's not against mending fences, William reportedly does worry that Prince Charles will be "ambushed" by his brother — especially with Harry's tell-all book on the horizon.
Only time will tell if the royals can repair their fractured family.