Speculation is mounting that King Charles could be reunited with his grandchildren after a four-year hiatus — as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were offered accommodation on a royal estate for their first family visit to the UK since 2022.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are due to arrive next month with their children, Archie and Lilibet, aged seven and five. The family may stay in royal accommodation from July 6 for as long as two weeks, marking the first time the King has seen his grandchildren in person since they attended Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
“King Charles may see grandchildren for first time since 2022 after Sussexes offered royal accommodation.”
The BBC reported that the Sussexes had yet to respond to the invitation and that it was unclear which of the royal estates had been offered. Harry has previously turned down requests to stay at Buckingham Palace due to concerns over his security, after losing a legal battle against the Home Office over his right to police protection. He argued his birth status made him a target.
The visit coincides with the one-year countdown to the Invictus Games, which will be hosted in Birmingham in July 2027. The Duke will attend a series of events marking 12 months before the Games for military personnel.
A source close to Harry told the Daily Mail the Duke wanted to use the visit to show his children his ‘homeland’ and the ‘wider family’. They said it had been a ‘real point of great sadness’ for Harry not to have been able to bring his wife and children to the UK, but that safety had to come first.
Yet other royal sources suggested the visit would present challenges following Harry’s words against the Firm, both in interviews and in his memoir Spare. The Sussexes do not know the King’s engagements for July, as he does not share his schedule with them. Another source said there were concerns the visit could distract from the King’s work and reignite discussions surrounding ‘personal family dynamics’.
The Duke of Sussex visited his father at Clarence House last September — their first meeting since 2024. In an interview last year, he spoke of a desire for a ‘reconciliation’ with the Royal family.
Buckingham Palace has declined to comment on the prospect of the King meeting his son and grandchildren, leaving the question of a reunion hanging over the visit.