King Charles has been tipped to "reunite" with his grandchildren, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four, following his meeting with Prince Harry on Wednesday.
The estranged father and son met for “a private tea” at Clarence House for the first time in over a year-and-a-half, Buckingham Palace later confirmed.
Charles and Harry last met in February 2024, just days after Buckingham Palace announced that the monarch was undergoing cancer treatment.
However, the King last met his young grandchildren over three years ago when they travelled to attend the late Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee in February 2022.
King Charles tipped to ‘reunite with grandchildren Archie and Lilibet’ following his meeting with Prince Harry
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Archie and Lilibet would have been three and one respectively when Charles last met them.
Following Wednesday’s meeting, a royal source has now suggested the young Sussexes could be reunited with their grandfather at “Balmoral or Sandringham next year” if the current trends towards reconciliation continue.
To that end, the insider suggested reconnecting with the Archie and Lilibet has been one of the driving forces behind King Charles’s attempts to reconcile with Harry.
“The King wants to be a grandfather to his grandchildren so that’s an important pull,” they said.
Archie and Lilibet last met their grandfather over three years ago
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“He was so pleased when they came over for Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee and he was able to spend some time with them,” the source informed.
His Majesty's reunion with his youngest son appears to have been a major step in the direction of rapprochement, with Harry exclaiming was father was “great” following the Clarence House meeting.
“It’s become clear that Harry now regrets some of his actions. He wants to reset his relationship with his family and with the people of the UK,” the insider told the Daily Mail.
The source cautioned it would be “hard to see him ever coming back to live in Britain” but tempered the warning by adding that: "This may be the start of something that at least allows them to be a functioning wider family again.”
The King's meeting with his eldest son was described as the first step in building a 'functioning wider family again'
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Security remains a key concern for the Duke of Sussex, which the source said presented “all sorts of obstacles” to such a meeting.
However, the insider believed a compromise may be found if Archie and Lilibet were to meet Charles at one of the Royal Family’s secure country homes.
“But maybe there is a way of getting them over to Balmoral or Sandringham next year or another royal residence where they are within the security perimeter", the source explained.
Regarding Harry himself, another source has said Wednesday's meeting was an "important first step towards rebuilding their father-and-son relationship".
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The king and his eldest son met for the first time in over a year and a half on Wednesday
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"There's a long way to go before Harry can earn his family's trust but he's given some assurances,” the insider continued.
These assurances included a private promise made to King Charles during the accord.
As the duke prepares to leave the UK, his spokesman has said he "loved being back in the UK".