Prince Harry reportedly felt “buoyed” and “really energised” after Meghan Markle and their children Archie and Lilibet joined him for a private family meeting with King Charles at Highgrove.
GB News reported that Harry spent more than an hour with the king and Queen Camilla last Friday. The visit marked a rare family get-together after weeks of back-and-forth.
Friends of Harry, first quoted by the Daily Mail, said the duke was “very happy” that his family could be with him during his latest UK trip.
Why this Prince Harry and Charles meeting carried extra weight
The Sussexes had reportedly planned to join Harry earlier in the week. That changed just days before he was due in London.
GB News linked that shift to Harry’s ongoing dispute with the UK Government over taxpayer-funded police protection. Despite that setback, Meghan reportedly flew to Britain with Archie and Lilibet for the Highgrove visit.
The meeting reportedly took place between about 3.30pm and 4pm on Friday. The family then reportedly stayed for roughly an hour.
The reunion came at the end of a difficult week for Harry. He had just lost his High Court privacy case against Associated Newspapers.
After that ruling, Harry said: “The lengths to which the Court has gone to exonerate the Mail is as shocking as it is totally unwarranted.”
That timing made the family moment with Charles more notable. Friday marked the first time in four years that the 77-year-old monarch had seen his grandchildren in person while continuing cancer treatment.
A royal source defended the decision to meet, saying: “Blood is blood.”
The same source added: “Every journey of a thousand miles begins with one footstep.”
Representatives for Harry have been contacted for comment.
What changed after the Prince Harry and Charles meeting?
Meghan did not join Harry at his Invictus Games engagements earlier on Friday. There, he played wheelchair rugby, pickleball and Laser Run.
- Prince Harry challenged changes to his security arrangements in the UK after stepping back from royal duties in 2020.
- The case centred on whether he should receive the same level of publicly funded protection when visiting Britain.
- His legal challenge was linked to decisions made by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures, known as RAVEC.
- Security concerns have been cited repeatedly in relation to visits involving Meghan, Archie and Lilibet.
- The issue has remained a major factor in planning UK travel and accommodation.
Harry also travelled to Warwickshire for the Scotty’s Little Soldiers summer festival. He joined around 200 children and their families at the event.
At the event, Harry took part in goat yoga. Children also soaked him with water balloons.
He later joined a question-and-answer session with youngsters who had lost a parent in military service. When nine-year-old Poppy asked what brings him joy on difficult days, Harry replied: “My dog makes me laugh, my children make me laugh,” before adding that sometimes laughter is simply not possible on hard days.
Meanwhile, also on Friday, Harry was reportedly seen leaving Althorp House. His late mother Princess Diana is buried on a secluded island at the Northamptonshire estate.
The duke had reportedly wanted Meghan, Archie and Lilibet to visit Diana’s final resting place. Meghan has been there before, but the children had not previously made the trip.