King Charles III wants to spend more time with his grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, after having only seen them a few times, an expert said today.
The 75-year-old monarch is believed to have told friends he is more interested than ever in striking up a relationship with Archie, five, and Lilibet, three.
It is believed Charles is not satisfied with just seeing his grandchildren on the occasional video call and now hopes to be more present in their lives.
Queen Camilla is also said to be encouraging her further efforts and reportedly sent Lilibet a “heartfelt gift and card” to celebrate her birthday last week.
Sources claimed the King now wants to make up for lost time, following years of tension between his son and the rest of the Royal Family that has been exacerbated since the Sussexes quit as royals and moved to the US. . in 2020.
Royal commentator Michael Cole told MailOnline today that Charles feels “severely the lack of closeness to his California grandchildren”, given that his own childhood was affected by his parents’ long absences on extensive tours of the Commonwealth.
The former BBC royal correspondent said the King “looks as happy and content as I’ve ever seen him” but “his only regret is not seeing Archie and Lilibet.”
He added that the two “innocent children” are growing up without any “real contact” with the Royal Family in Britain while Charles undergoes cancer treatment and would “appreciate the pleasure and comfort of seeing his grandchildren.”
Prince Harry and Charles at an event at the Natural History Museum in London in April 2019
Speaking to MailOnline, Cole said: “Painfully aware that time is money, the King regrets not being able to be closer to his grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
‘It’s not just the 5,000 miles between Clarence House and California that keeps the monarch away from his youngest grandchildren.
‘The antipathy between Prince Harry and his wife Meghan and the Royal Family has created a deep divide that makes normal family relations so strained as to be almost impossible.
And tensions have only increased with every harsh word written and every cruel phrase uttered by Harry and Meghan about their brother, Prince William, their sister-in-law Catherine and their stepmother, Queen Camilla.
“In the midst of this unedifying feud in the world’s most famous family are two innocent children growing up without any real contact with their royal cousins in Britain, not to mention their grandfather, the head of the family, the king, while is undergoing treatment for an unspecified cancer and would appreciate the pleasure and comfort of seeing his grandchildren.’
Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet are seen in a Christmas card published on December 23, 2021.
Cole also noted that Meghan is separated from the children’s other grandfather, Thomas Markle.
He said the King “is proud and very pleased” with William and Kate’s children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
Cole continued, “He sees them as often as possible and is a very hands-on grandfather, willing to participate in whatever they are doing at the time.” You can’t do that on a video call.
‘While the King welcomes any type of contact, technology cannot compensate for the loss of proximity.
‘The King deeply feels the lack of closeness with his grandchildren in California. His own childhood was affected by his parents’ long absences on extensive tours of the Commonwealth, some of which lasted up to six months.
“That’s why he and Princess Diana took baby Prince William on his first tour of Australia and New Zealand after his birth. But then, due to the chasm that developed between him and Diana as the years passed, his relationship with his own children deteriorated.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex with their son Archie and (left to right) the Queen Consort, the King, Lady Doria Ragland, Lady Jane Fellowes, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and the Prince and Princess of Wales at Windsor Castle after his baptism in July. 2019
‘As every day is precious, the King would like to see all of his grandchildren as much as possible, taking advantage of every opportunity for them to get to know him, which is as important in family terms as it is for him to enjoy their company. This is very much the case with the King with the trio of charming Welsh children.’
He noted that while Harry and Meghan do not deny the King access to their grandchildren, “they also do not make it possible.”
Cole added: “The King has seen Archie in person only a few times and Princess Lilbet only once. The Sussexes did not take the opportunity to baptize Lilibet at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, on their last visit, when there was a chance and it could have been fixed quite easily.
And he said the family relationship has been “tested to the breaking point” following Harry and Meghan’s exit from royal life in 2020 thanks to interviews, TV shows and Harry’s biography, Spare.
Cole continued: “Prince Harry says he loves his family and the country of his birth. He is said to be looking for a property to re-establish a home here.
William, Harry, Meghan and Charles at a Commonwealth service at Westminster Abbey in 2019
‘But will that be soon enough for his father to bond with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet before they start school in America, and live there full-time and forever?
‘Time is fleeting. The King, who seems as happy and content as I have ever seen him in the 56 years since I presented my first television report on him, is clearly reconciled to his illness, bravely enduring treatment and facing the future with commendable bravery. .
‘The only thing he regrets is not seeing Archie and Lilibet. If there was anything calculated to comfort and delight him, it would be that they were with him regularly.
“Unless Harry and Meghan can find in their hearts the love they say they have for the world and the people in it, apart from their father and most of their family, that seems unlikely.”
Cole spoke after a source told the daily mirror yesterday: ‘The King is absolutely committed to being present in all the lives of his grandchildren.
The Duke of Sussex speaks to Good Morning America in February. Harry suggested during the interview that the cancer diagnosis could lead to a reconciliation with Charles.
“He values family above all else and whatever the course of his relationship with his son, he would never be content to see his grandchildren on the occasional video call.”
Harry and Charles’ relationship became strained after the Duke stepped down as a royal and moved to California with Meghan and her family.
They last saw each other shortly after the King announced his cancer diagnosis in February, when Harry rushed out of his house to see his father in London.
After this meeting, Harry suggested in an interview that the cancer diagnosis could lead to a reconciliation with Charles.
Speaking to Good Morning America at the time, it was suggested that a family illness could have a “reunification effect”, and when Harry was asked “Is that possible in this case?” He replied, “Yes, I’m sure.”
The duke also said “I love my family” and that he was “grateful” to be able to spend time with his father, even though it was only for about 45 minutes.
Then last month, Harry took a trip to the UK to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games and was hoping to see Charles.
But a spokesman for the duke then revealed that “unfortunately it will not be possible” to hold a meeting “due to Her Majesty’s full schedule.”
The spokesperson added that Harry “understands his father’s diary of engagements and other priorities and looks forward to seeing him soon.”