King Charles’ Decision About Archie and Lili Proves He’s a Lot More Like Queen Elizabeth
Like mother, like son. Just like his mother, Queen Elizabeth II before him, duty comes first for King Charles III. Even ahead of his desire to see his California-based grandchildren, according to an insider. Despite reportedly wanting a relationship with Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3, that isn’t entirely video calls, the king will put the “Crown” above his own “feelings.”
The king not likely to see Archie and Lili soon
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s kids seeing their paternal grandfather, King Charles, “is not going to happen any time soon,” per The Daily Beast. The Duke of Sussex, 39, is estranged from his brother, Prince William. And his relationship with their father isn’t much better at the moment.
It stems from a security decision made by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee’s (RAVEC). The committee revoked the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s automatic police protection when on U.K. soil after they left royal life in 2020.
Since relocating to Montecito, California, and losing security, Harry’s fought to get it back. However, he hasn’t been successful. The 39-year-old lost the legal battle in February 2024 and now has plans to appeal. Meanwhile, he plans to continue traveling to the U.K. solo amid concerns for his family’s safety while in the U.K.
The last time King Charles saw Archie and Lili was in June 2022 during Platinum Jubilee weekend.
King Charles will pick ‘duty’ like Queen Elizabeth
When it comes to the king’s responsibilities as monarch and his own feelings on wanting to see Archie and Lili, there’s no choice, an “old family friend” told The Daily Beast. King Charles will pick duty, just like his late mother, Queen Elizabeth.
“I wonder, when they are older, how those kids will feel about being denied a meaningful relationship with the King of England. To deprive them of that experience, with all its importance and heritage, seems very misguided.”
“Of course, he wants to see them,” they said of the king. “But if you force Charles to choose between his duty to the Crown and his personal feelings, he will choose the Crown every time—just as his mother did.”
Harry’s been accused of using his children as ‘emotional blackmail’
A friend of the king’s claimed Archie and Lili have become “emotional blackmail” to get the monarch’s support.
They said: “Harry has lost his security case in court, and is now trying the emotional blackmail route to get what he wants instead, cynically using the threat of Archie and Lilibet never meeting their grandfather again as a tactic to coerce the king into overruling RAVEC.”
“Using it as leverage, as a reason to withhold his kids from their grandfather, is beyond contempt,” they continued. “Charles is being treated for very serious cancer. So even if he could find the time, he cannot just fly to Los Angeles at the drop of a hat, like Harry can—and actually did earlier this year—in the other direction.”
According to People, the security issue has resulted in a complete breakdown of communication between King Charles and Harry.
An insider who used to be “friendly” with both William and Harry shared the idea of King Charles not seeing Archie and Lili goes back to the Frogmore Cottage eviction.
“When Harry was being kicked out of Frogmore Cottage,” they said. “One of his lines was that Charles would never see the kids again. This [the documentary] is him going public with that threat.”
Although Harry didn’t mention his children by name, “It was clearly implied,” they added. “This really isn’t about Meghan, who has no intention of ever coming back to England again.”
