Speak to any grandparent and they will no doubt tell you how much they cherish time with their grandchildren, seizing any opportunity to spend time with them.
Unfortunately for King Charles, this is sadly not an option due to the ongoing strained relations with his son Prince Harry, and daughter-in-law Meghan Markle.
In addition, Harry and his family live in the United States and rarely visit the UK which has left Charles longing for a closer relationship with Archie and Lilibet and feeling a deep sense of “regret” over the situation.
In a recent interview with GB News, royal commentator Michael Cole explained that “the lack of closeness with his California grandchildren” is a source of anguish for the Monarch.
“[The King is] painfully aware that time is precious and regrets that he cannot be closer to his grandchildren Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet,” Cole explained.
“It is not just the 5,000 miles between Clarence House and California that keeps the monarch at a distance 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 relationships so fraught as to be almost impossible.”
It’s not just King Charles who is feeling the absence, recent reports indicate that Archie himself is developing a growing interest in his family across the pond, something that has become a cause for concern for Meghan.
“Archie loves the idea that his grandad lives in a castle and Meghan was worried that a magnificent shepherd’s hut or similar extravagant present will only increase Archie’s growing interest in his royal connections,” royal author Tom Quinn recently explained to The Mirror.
“She doesn’t want Britain to become a longed-for fantasy for her son so she had been pushing Harry to insist that his father gets Archie a simple present.
“But Charles is desperate to show he cares and he wants to be an indulgent grandparent, partly because he has mellowed over the years and wants to makeup for what he sees as his neglect of his own sons.
“King Charles hasn’t seen his grandson Archie since 2022 and Archie really misses him, many of Archie’s books are about kings, princesses and castles and he knows enough to know that his grandfather lives in a castle. He is apparently desperate to come to the UK with his father, but Meghan and Harry don’t want to encourage this.”
All of this turmoil began when Harry and Meghan stepped away from their royal duties in 2020, signalling a major shift in the traditional dynamics of the Monarchy. The move was driven by the pair’s desire for a more independent and private life, distancing themselves from the intense media scrutiny that had been a constant presence in their lives.
The decision was accompanied by revelations in a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, where the couple candidly discussed their struggles within the royal institution. The interview shed light on the challenges they faced and strained relationships within the family, sparking widespread public discussion.
Since stepping back, Prince Harry’s ties with the Royal Family have remained strained. While the odd public appearance here and there has hinted at attempts at reconciliation, the distance remains palpable.