Since ascending to the throne in September 2022 after the passing of his mother Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III has faced scrutiny regarding his relationship, or lack thereof, with his two youngest grandchildren – Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor.
As the son of Charles’s second son Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, 3-year-old Archie and 1-year-old Lilibet have reportedly had minimal contact with their grandfather since their parents stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and moved to California.
According to Daily express, Sources close to the new King say that he has formed no close bond or relationship with either grandchild. This rift appears to be a consequence of the wider fracturing of ties between Charles and Harry over the past few years.
Harry and Meghan sensationally announced in January 2020 that they intended to “step back” from senior royal roles and split their time between the UK and North America. This followed growing media scrutiny and a lawsuit filed by Meghan over alleged privacy breaches.
Since relocating to Montecito, California, the Sussexes have rarely returned to Britain together. Their children have had no public meetings with Charles or any members of the Royal Family to date.
In a March 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Harry stated that his father had stopped taking his phone calls for a period of time after the relocation. While details remain scarce, this implies a definite strain between the once-close father and son.
With Archie now aged three and Lilibet just one, some commentators have noted that Charles has already missed out on precious early years with his grandchildren. Royal expert Ingrid Seward told The Sun newspaper this week that “it is sad that the King has not seen his youngest grandchildren and they haven’t seen their grandparents.”
There appears no sign that the frosty relationship will thaw anytime soon. Harry and Meghan’s upcoming memoirs and Netflix documentary threaten to widen the rift further by airing more royal grievances to the public.
King Charles, meanwhile, is said to be laser-focused on duty after waiting decades to take the throne. Reconciling with his son does not seem to be a priority at this challenging time.
As Seward notes, this situation means the young Sussex children are deprived of bonds with their royal relatives enjoyed by their cousin Prince George and his siblings.
With Meghan and Harry showing no desire to return to royal life, it appears Archie and Lilibet will continue growing up a world away from their grandfather the King and the British monarchy. Time will tell whether bridges can be rebuilt before it’s too late.
