King Charles ‘Compensates’ for Not Seeing Archie and Lilibet by ‘Doting’ on George, Charlotte, and Louis: Commentator
Being a grandfather is complicated for King Charles III. Amid his ongoing rift with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the leader of the British royal family rarely gets to see Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 2. As a result, per a commentator, the king is likely “showering love” on the rest of his grandchildren to compensate.
Charles wants to be a ‘doting granddad’ to Harry and Meghan’s children
King Charles is a grandfather of five. There are Prince William and Kate Middleton’s kids—Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6. Then there’s the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s kids, Archie and Lilibet.
According to Phil Dampier, a royal author and commentator, the king, who is back to public duties after being diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in February 2024, wants to be a “doting grandad” to all of his grandchildren. However, strained relationships with Harry and Meghan mean that’s not the case.
“It’s a very difficult situation,” Dampier told The Sun. King Charles, he said, is a “doting granddad” to George, Charlotte, and Louis. “I’m sure he’d love to have the same relationship with his other two.”
“Charles probably compensates for not seeing them by showering love on George, Charlotte, and Louis,” he added. “But, obviously, it would be better for all concerned if the rifts were healed and some kind of normal family relations resumed.”
Archie’s birthday was ‘bittersweet’ for King Charles
May 6, 2024, proved to be a big day for both Archie and King Charles. The former turned 5, while it marked one year since the latter’s coronation. All in all, it turned out to be “bittersweet” for the monarch.
“It’s a bittersweet day for the king when he marks the anniversary of his coronation as it’s also Archie’s birthday,” Dampier said.
“I’m sure it breaks Charles’s heart that his grandchildren Archie and Lilibet are growing up on the West Coast with American accents. And yet he hardly knows them.”
“Harry and Meghan may arrange occasional Zoom calls,” he said, “but it’s not the same as seeing them in person.”
King Charles last saw his Sussex grandchildren in 2022
It’s been years—yes, years—since the king’s had any face time with Archie and Lilibet. Not FaceTime, but actual in-person time together. It happened in 2022 when the Sussex family went to England for Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
King Charles got to reunite with Harry, Meghan, and Archie and met Lilibet, who turned 1 while in England, for the first time.
“He hadn’t met Lili, his granddaughter, and so to meet her was very emotional, a very, very wonderful thing,” a source told BBC. They also remarked it was “very, very special” for the king, now 75, to spend time with Archie.
The weekend also would’ve been the first opportunity for the late Queen Elizabeth II to meet her great-granddaughter. Harry later recalled the last time his children saw the queen in Spare, writing Archie performed “chivalrous bows” while Lilibet sat “cuddling at the monarch’s shins.”
In the years since, King Charles has reportedly gotten updates on Archie and Lilibet from occasional video calls and, according to royal author Omid Scobie, photos sent to him via text by Meghan (via Express).
