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The meeting happened in secret, with no fanfare and, perhaps tellingly, no official photo – but sources tell Woman’s Day that when Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet met their grandfather King Charles for the first time in four years, they were left “awestruck” by the occasion.
The reunion happened on July 10 – as an exclusive Chanel event was held in the grounds of King Charles’ Gloucestershire estate.
The comings and goings meant the vehicle containing Prince Harry, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and the couple’s kids – aged five and seven – passed by, undetected by photographers.
The King and his wife Queen Camilla are said to have hosted the Sussexes for more than an hour at Highgrove – and an insider tells Woman’s Day that Harry and Meghan couldn’t have been prouder to finally bring their children into the royal fold.
Certainly it appeared a happy ending at last after a turbulent week saw the King’s youngest son lose his High Court phone hacking case against the publishers of the Daily Mail, and face embarrassing revelations about his party-loving past.
“Apparently Archie and Lilibet were totally awestruck by everything they witnessed and it has really opened the door for Harry to tell them more about their heritage and what it means to be a part of the monarchy,” the source tells Woman’s Day.
“He’s thrilled they’re now old enough to start having these conversations. He’s not bombarding them with too much information but he does want them to appreciate their lineage and what it means to be in the line of succession, that it’s something they can be proud of.
“Of course, Harry and Meghan are also under no illusions that this reunion with Charles would have happened if he hadn’t been so desperate to see his grandchildren,” the insider continues.
“It really can be overstated how integral Archie and Lili are when it comes to forging a path forward with the King and the rest of the royal family.”
The source claims that, in many ways, the children are carrying Harry and Meghan’s “hopes and dreams for the future”.
“Meghan sees enormous value in them embracing that side of who they are because it’s something that can only strengthen the whole family’s future prospects, and that includes the future of her brand,” they explain.
But while the long-awaited reunion was seen by one royal expert as proof the Sussexes had won “the biggest prize”, another commentator warned the visit wasn’t as much of a victory as some have suggested.
Entertainment journalist Rob Shuter shared a piece on his Naughty But Nice substack, in which he told readers: “don’t believe the hype”.
“This wasn’t a surrender – it was a grandfather wanting to see his grandchildren. People are confusing compassion with capitulation,” a source told him.
Shuter went on to explain, “Yes, the meeting happened. But look at what didn’t happen. There was no official photograph. No public embrace. No balcony moment. No joint statement declaring a new chapter. No announcement restoring Harry’s role. No change to security arrangements. No constitutional shift. The monarchy gave away absolutely nothing.”
Indeed, while Harry was mending fences with his father at Highgrove, his estranged brother Prince William was indulging in a PDA with his wife Kate, Princess of Wales, at a charity polo match 90 minutes away in Windsor.
A thaw in relations between the two brothers seems as far away as ever.
Speaking to Sky News Australia on Sunday, TalkTV presenter Mark Dolan said it was his understanding that William was “furious” about the reunion, because he sees it as a “reward” for “disloyalty”.
Perhaps the heir to the throne needn’t worry, however.
As another source put it to Rob Shuter: “If Buckingham Palace wanted the world to see this as a reconciliation, there would have been a picture. The fact that there wasn’t tells you everything you need to know.”
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