Just some years ago, King Charles couldn’t possibly have imagined that he would have had a son living on the other side of the globe. The feud with Harry and Meghan Markle has grown more intense by the day, and things escalated when the Duke released his book in 2022.
Even though Harry has been back in the UK a few times in the last few years, Meghan Markle and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, have not been with them. The Sussexes have reportedly stated that they fear for their children’s safety if they bring them to the UK, and Charles is heartbroken not to be able to see them.
While Harry and his father appear to be trying to find a way back to each other, a new claim gives worrying details about what Harry and Meghan are trying to do. The couple is accused of using their children to “emotionally blackmail” the king.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s new life in the US didn’t precisely end up as “private” as they were thought to would have liked. Their interviews with Oprah and other media, their Netflix series, and Harry’s book Spare sent their relationship with the royal family down the drain.
Prince Harry
The Duke is not speaking with his brother, Prince William, and his father is more than disappointed in his actions. Meanwhile, it’s been reported that King Charles wants to do everything he can to better the relationship, not least because he wants to reunite with his grandchildren in the US, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
King Charles has met Archie only five times and Lilibet just once. He is reportedly “heartbroken” over the non-existent relationship with his grandchildren, but according to royal expert Tom Quinn, the monarch has considered changing that.
He told the Mirror earlier this summer that Charles “has had discussions” about traveling to America to visit Harry and his family “at some time in the future.”
“There is no doubt if it goes ahead he would build in time to visit his youngest son and his grandchildren, but there are mountains of planning to be overcome before that becomes even a remote possibility,” Quinn said.
“It’s certainly possible that he would make a discreet private visit to Harry and the children in California,” the royal expert added. “He is desperate to see them and hates the idea that Archie and Lily will not remember him as the warm friendly grandfather he wants to be.”
King Charles could visit Harry & Meghan in the US
Relationship expert Louella Alderson told the Mirror that it would be a “significant gesture” if Charles would visit Harry, Meghan, Archie, and Lilibet in the US.
“The logistics behind King Charles’s making a trip to America, whether it’s private or not, and meeting with Harry without may prove difficult,” Alderson explained. “King Charles has many Royal obligations and now health issues as well, so a trip to America in any capacity would likely require careful planning and coordination.”
She continued: “This fact alone means if King Charles is willing to make the effort and put forth the time and energy to visit Harry in America, it could be a significant gesture of his desire to mend their relationship.”
“It’s possible that he may be more willing to address any issues and work towards finding a resolution than he has been previously.”
Traveling to the US could be a scheduling nightmare for King Charles, but Harry and Meghan will always have an opportunity to visit their children’s grandfather in the UK. However, it is easier said than done.
First, Meghan Markle appears not to be interested in visiting the UK more than necessary, and when Harry has been back in his old home country, he hasn’t always met his family.
In May, he was in London to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, but his father was not present. Meanwhile, Harry didn’t meet with his father during the short trip, and the last time they met was when the king’s estranged son visited him shortly after Charles had received his cancer diagnosis.
King Charles no longer responds to Harry’s calls, insider says
There have been reports that Harry misses his old friends in the UK, and only one of his family members, Princess Eugenie, has visited him and his family in the US.
Even though he might want to mend the relationship with his father, a source tells People Magazine that their communication has deteriorated in recent months.
According to a friend of Harry’s, King Charles is no longer responding to his son’s calls or letters.
“He gets ‘unavailable right now,’” a friend of Harry’s told People Magazine. “His calls go unanswered. He has tried to reach out about the King’s health, but those calls go unanswered too.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have had many concerns about possibly returning to the UK as a family, mainly because they have concerns for the safety of their children.
Meghan was initially said to have been open to traveling with Harry to the Invictus Games ceremony in May but made a U-turn because of fears for their children’s safety.
“It’s now got to the point where Meghan doesn’t want to come to the UK with the children. She just doesn’t feel safe. The situation is now about whether the family should attend with increased security or Harry should go it alone,” the source said at the time.
“He values family above everything”
That could change if Harry’s words are answered, as a royal insider now claims he has asked his father for help.
“Harry is frightened and feels the only person who can do anything about it is his father,” a royal insider told People. Another source close to the situation says, “Harry is determined to protect his own family at all costs.”
King Charles wants nothing more than to reunite with his grandchildren and is reportedly “heartbroken” over not seeing them.
A source told the Mirror, “The King is absolutely committed to being present in all of his grandchildren’s lives. He values family above everything and whatever the course of his relationship with his son, he would never be content with just seeing his grandchildren on the odd video call.”
At the same time, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been accused of many things regarding how they have treated the royal family members—and now, another shocking claim has been made.
Speaking with the Daily Beast, friends of King Charles have accused Harry of “emotional blackmail” by pretty much threatening his father that he’ll never again meet Archie and Lilibet.
Prince Harry accused of using his children to ’emotionally blackmail’ his father
The source argued that Harry wants to pressure Charles to use his influence to help the Sussexes get increased security when visiting the UK.
“Harry has lost his security case in court, and is now trying the emotional blackmail route to get what he wants instead, cynically using the threat of Archie and Lilibet never meeting their grandfather again as a tactic to coerce the king into overruling RAVEC.,” the source told the Daily Beast.
“The idea that the security forces are going to allow the Sussexes to be attacked by an acid-throwing or knife-wielding maniac on British soil is absurd, and Harry knows it. Using it as leverage, as a reason to withhold his kids from their grandfather, is beyond contempt,” the monarch’s friend added. “Charles is being treated for very serious cancer, so even if he could find the time, he cannot just fly to Los Angeles at the drop of a hat, like Harry can—and actually did earlier this year—in the other direction.”
When Harry left royal life, the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC) stripped him of the right to automatic police protection in the UK. Moreover, the Duke’s offer to pay for any protection himself was rejected because the British police force couldn’t be hired.
For Archie and Lilibet, not getting to visit the UK hurts their relationship with their grandfather and their entire royal family tree. They have never met their cousins, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, and all that has to do with the feud between their parents and Prince William and Kate Middleton.
“It’s really sad to see”
GB News royal editor Svar Nanan-Sen said, “Archie and Lilibet have no relationship with George, Charlotte and Louis – and they’re cousins. So this this feud between Harry and William and Kate and Meghan is creating a rift down the entire family that is crossing generations.”
Royal expert Cameron Walker added, “George, Charlotte, and Louis are not going to have that with their two cousins, Prince Archie,and Princess Lilibet – it’s really sad to see, and it’s also not their fault.”
Meanwhile, an “old family friend of several generations of royals,” as described by the Daily Beast, said that Archie and Lilibet are “being denied a meaningful relationship” with King Charles.
“To deprive them of that experience, with all its importance and heritage, seems very misguided. Of course, he wants to see them, but if you force Charles to choose between his duty to the Crown and his personal feelings, he will choose the Crown every time—just as his mother did;” the insider told the Daily Beast.
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