King Charles’ hopes of a reunion with his grandchildren have been dashed by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex had planned to bring Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, to the UK for the first time in four years, but changed their minds at the 11th hour.
Charles, 77, had allegedly offered the family a place to stay during their visit amid security concerns, but the Sussex camp felt this was only one part of their concerns for the trip from July 7 to July 11.
The British monarch is said to be “humiliated” by their change of tune, and he’s not the only one.
New Idea exclusively hears that Princess Anne has also been left furious as tensions rise in the Royal Family over the endless coverage of Harry and Meghan’s antics.
“Anne is livid and can’t bear to see the Royals be toyed with like this, not to mention the insult to their beloved country,” our insider explains.
Prince William is also said to be viewing it as an “I told you so” moment as reports swirled that the future King had no plans to reconcile with his estranged brother and his family.
“[William] and Anne – and even Queen Camilla – are horrified by the stream of headlines coming out of the USA on a daily basis in the lead-up to Harry’s arrival, while the King sits patiently waiting for his long-lost grandchildren to never arrive,” our source adds.
Anne, 75, and William have long shared a close relationship, based on their mutual dedication to the monarchy. No doubt, Harry and Meghan’s decision in 2020 to leave this behind them has been a cause of discontent ever since.
Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, have not jointly seen the Royal Family since Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in September 2022, though Harry has had a closed-door meeting with King Charles.
The couple were said to be unsure about bringing their children to reunite with the Royals because of the public scrutiny they have received in the years since.
“Once this trip was locked in, Meghan didn’t publicly make clear what she was willing to commit to and whether she would even be bringing the kids back to the UK,” a source close to the Sussexes told New Idea.
“She feared she and Harry could be treated harshly by the press – and public – and so was reluctant to commit fully to a program of engagements or a meeting with any royals.”
Harry has been desperate for a family reunion and has spoken openly about his desire to mend their estrangement, though William is said to remain on the camp of steadfastly not wanting to reconcile.
But the ice seems to be thawing between Harry and Charles, with the monarch reportedly offering Harry and Meghan a royal residence to stay in and to fund their security during the stay.
However, the Sussexes’ spokesperson made it very clear that “safe accommodation is only one element of an effective protective security plan because risk follows the person, not the place”.
Sadly for Charles, his offer has not proved to be enough for Harry and Meghan to bring Archie and Lilibet back to the UK, and their children will remain thousands of miles away in California.
“Harry needed this to happen seamlessly if he’s to have any chance of making inroads with his wider family, beyond Charles,” our source shared.
It is not a complete lost cause as Meghan is still slated to make the trip, stepping foot in the UK for the first time in four years, with insiders hoping she could be looking for a fresh start with the country.
But will it be enough to get William and Anne on side?
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