NEED TO KNOW
- Prince Harry has just left the UK after a five-day trip.
- Meghan Markle and their kids, Archie and Lilibet, were thought to have joined him.
- The Sussex clan met with King Charles in a private meeting.
- Now, Harry is lining up a Christmas trip with his family, in another step towards reunion.
Prince Harry’s visits to the UK might have been sparing in recent years, but that’s all about to change.
The Duke of Sussex, 41, has just concluded a five-day visit to the UK, and he’s already lining up another trip in a major step towards a family reunion.
King Charles is believed to have hosted a private meeting with Harry, Meghan Markle, and their kids, Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, on their most recent trip, which was Harry’s first with his family in four years.
Now, New Idea hears that Harry is capitalising on the breakthrough in building bridges with Charles, 77, and is already planning his second family trip to the UK for Christmas.
However, his estranged brother, Prince William, is less than keen on the idea and is remaining steadfast in his refusal to reunite with Harry, despite his younger brother’s efforts.
“Harry’s determined not to let this visit be a one-off, and obviously the King’s diary has to be arranged well in advance, so he’s already started speaking to his father about when they should meet next,” our insider dishes.
“In his view, Christmas would be the perfect opportunity to bring the children and Meghan back for another visit.”
“Fact is, he always gets very homesick at that time of year; he misses being a part of all their traditions, and he would love Archie and Lilibet to experience a proper royal Christmas and finally meet more of the extended family, whether that’s at Sandringham or wherever Charles decides is best.”
“Harry knows William will react badly to the whole idea, but he simply doesn’t care what his brother thinks.”
“If he wants to be nasty about it and turn it into some sort of ugly confrontation, Harry can’t stop him, but he’s not going to let William dictate the terms of when his children spend time with their grandfather.”
“As far as he’s concerned, if Charles wants him there, that’s all the encouragement he needs to keep moving forward.”
“If it sends William into a meltdown, or they end up coming to blows, so be it. He’s not going to be bullied.”
During Harry’s most recent UK visit, William deliberately kept his distance and did not cross paths with his brother.
While William carried out engagements in London, Harry was just mere hours away in Birmingham for Invictus Games engagements.
Harry did make a detour to Charles’ private estate, Highgrove House, to reunite with his father, but William was reportedly not in attendance, remaining a mere two-hour drive away.
There had been doubts over whether Harry would bring his family on the trip, but he is believed to have been quietly joined by Meghan and their kids, Archie and Lilibet.
The entire Sussex clan had a private meeting with Charles and Camilla at Highgrove House, marking the first time that Charles has seen his grandchildren in four years.
However, no photos are expected to be released from the low-key family meeting. In fact, Harry was the only Sussex who was publicly seen in the UK during the five-day visit.
It is a major step towards a reunion for Harry, who has had sparing visits to the UK in recent years, with Meghan having not touched down on UK soil since Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in 2022.
Harry has been open in his desire to reconcile with his family, and while it appears he’s making progress with Charles, it seems things might not be as easy with William.
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