Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s two children, Archie and Lilibet, were left “awestruck” after seeing their grandfather, King Charles, for the first time in four years.
The Sussex family visited the King and his wife, Queen Camilla, at Highgrove House in Gloucestershire on Friday, with Buckingham Palace describing the reunion as a “private family occasion”.
Charles, 77, and Camilla, 78, reportedly hosted the family for more than an hour at their private residence.
This gesture hasn’t gone unnoticed by Harry, 41, who is said to be elated that Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, are being welcomed into the royal fold.
“Apparently Archie and Lilibet were totally awestruck by everything they witnessed and it has really opened the door for Harry to tell them more about their heritage and what it means to be a part of the monarchy,” an insider told Woman’s Day.
The publication adds that the Duke of Sussex is “thrilled” that he can start having conversations with his kids about their royal background.
“He’s not bombarding them with too much information but he does want them to appreciate their lineage and what it means to be in the line of succession, that it’s something they can be proud of,” the source revealed.
However, Woman’s Day claims that Harry and Meghan are under “no illusions” that the reunion with the King would have happened if he hadn’t been “so desperate” to see his grandkids.
“It really can’t be overstated how integral Archie and Lili are when it comes to forging a path forward with the King and the rest of the royal family.”
Despite what is thought to have been a joyous reunion between the Sussexes and the Monarch, a royal expert has claimed it may not have been the victory fans had hoped for.
“This wasn’t a surrender—it was a grandfather wanting to see his grandchildren. People are confusing compassion with capitulation,” a royal source told journalist Rob Shuter, who warned his readers not to “believe the hype”.
“If Buckingham Palace wanted the world to see this as a reconciliation, there would have been a picture. The fact that there wasn’t tells you everything you need to know.
“The institution didn’t blink. Charles acted as a father and a grandfather, not as the head of the monarchy negotiating terms.”
Last week, Prince Harry took part in a number of one-year countdown engagements in London and Birmingham for the 2027 Invictus Games.
It was previously reported that Meghan, 44, would join her husband for some of the public appearances, but this plan was scrapped at the last minute due to security concerns.
The Sussexes’ request for publicly-funded security was denied by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC) in the lead up to the visit, which is why the Duchess of Sussex only joined her husband with their kids during the last few days of the trip.