King Charles finally reunited with his grandchildren Archie and Lilibet on Friday, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.
The palace said the king and queen hosted the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, along with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, earlier in the afternoon. It described the gathering at the king’s private Gloucestershire home Highgrove House as a “private family occasion”.
The visit marks the first time the king has seen Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, in person for more than four years.
That makes the meeting a notable moment in a family relationship that has stayed strained since Harry and Meghan left the UK and royal duty in 2020.
King Charles finally reunites with Archie and Lilibet
Sources said Charles and Harry wanted to meet this week. They also said the king was keen to make time for his two young grandchildren.
Harry and Meghan had not been in the UK together since 2022, when they attended Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.
Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet last saw King Charles in person during Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.
According to the report, that visit was the only time Lilibet has met her grandfather in person.
- Archie was born in 2019.
- Lilibet was born in 2021.
- The Platinum Jubilee took place in June 2022.
Since then, Harry has returned to Britain alone several times. He privately met his father on a trip last September.
This visit stands out because Archie and Lilibet were there too. Buckingham Palace has not said where the family is staying in the UK.
What happened before the Highgrove reunion
Earlier on Friday, Harry was in Birmingham counting down to the next Invictus Games for injured service men and women. He has stayed closely involved with the event for years.
Participants and supporters warmly applauded him. He also tried pickleball and wheelchair rugby.
Attention had already built around the final days of Harry’s UK trip. On Thursday, officials confirmed that Meghan and the two children would not join him at any public engagements during the last two days of his visit.
Initial trip details said Meghan would appear at events in London and Birmingham. Later, after a dispute over security levels, that plan changed.
Harry’s visit also drew headlines because of his court defeat against Associated Newspapers. It also sparked confusion over where he would stay.
Highgrove House is the King’s private residence in Gloucestershire.
The property has long been associated with Charles and is used for private family time as well as some official entertaining.
Its gardens are among the best-known features of the estate.
Buckingham Palace described the gathering there as a private family occasion.
Last week, Harry’s team said he had accepted an invitation to stay at Buckingham Palace. However, the palace rejected that account and said officials had already told him he could not stay there. This was because he reportedly accepted the invitation too late.
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One reunion happened, but another still will not
While the King Charles, Archie and Lilibet visit took place at Highgrove, Prince William was in Windsor for a charity polo match.
The brothers’ relationship remains broken. There are reportedly no plans for Harry and William to meet while Harry and Meghan are in the UK.
Read more: King Charles ‘would not pass up opportunity’ to have Archie and Lilibet ‘reunion’
Before the family gathering, the king carried out engagements in Oxfordshire. He opened a building at the University of Oxford and later met astronaut Tim Peake at the launch of a space initiative.
Earlier in the week, Charles and Camilla also visited London Zoo during the heatwave.
For now, the palace is keeping the Highgrove meeting private. Even so, King Charles’ reunion with his grandchildren looks like a significant step in a long-running family rift.