King Charles May Give Harry and Meghan an ‘Olive Branch’ Invite to Balmoral This Summer
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could be headed to Balmoral this summer. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex may reportedly get an “olive branch” invite from King Charles III to vacation at the royal family’s Scottish estate as the 75-year-old is eager to spend time with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
King Charles may take the ‘life is too short’ approach and invite the Sussexes to Balmoral
The summer of 2024 could see the Sussexes come together with King Charles for a little R&R at Balmoral. Per a Page Six report, the king, who is currently undergoing cancer treatment along with Kate Middleton, may include the Sussexes.
“I can see Charles desperately wanting to see the children, and extending this olive branch to Meghan and Harry,” a “well-placed society source” told the outlet.
Harry and Meghan are parents to Archie, 4, and Lili, 2. The king has only seen his grandson on a few occasions and his granddaughter only once. The last time King Charles saw Archie and Lili in person happened in June 2022 during Platinum Jubilee Weekend.
The king, the source continued, “may decide that life is just too short.” Not to mention, “Balmoral is truly the perfect, restful place for a reunion. If he does issue an invite, then Harry and Meghan should surely agree to the visit.”
Meanwhile, Sussex sources said, in the outlet’s words, they weren’t “aware of any approach for the summer months just yet.
Harry and Meghan previously opted out of visiting Balmoral in 2019
Harry and Meghan aren’t frequent visitors to the Scottish estate. As such, there’s the chance they might pass on a potential invite from King Charles.
Harry and Meghan turned down an invite to stay at Balmoral from the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2019. As royal expert and author Katie Nicholl wrote in her book, The New Royals, it came as a surprise.
“There were raised eyebrows when Harry and Meghan declined an invite from the Queen to spend a long weekend at Balmoral in the summer of 2019,” Nicholl wrote (via The Mirror).
She went on to note the queen invited the Sussexes to join her “when she traditionally hosts a weekend for her grandchildren.” As well as “a special sleepover for her great-grandchildren.”
Instead, Harry and Meghan took their now almost 5-year-old son to Ibiza, Spain, then the South of France, where they stayed with Elton John. “‘Playing happy families at Balmoral didn’t really fit their narrative,’ I was told by a source close to the Sussexes,” the author added.
Meanwhile, a source told The Sun at the time: “Harry and Meghan had no plans to go to Balmoral this summer as they felt Archie was too young.” (He would’ve been only a few months old at the time, having been born on May 6, 2019.)
Harry has ‘no choice’ but to extend an olive branch to King Charles and Prince William
An author says Harry may feel he has “no choice” but to offer one, too. Tom Quinn told The Mirror Harry could feel obligated to make a gesture to his family. Otherwise, it could reflect poorly as the king and Princess of Wales are being treated for cancer.
“His relationship with his brother and father might still be estranged and tense,” Quinn said. As such, “Harry might feel he has ‘no choice’ but to see the royal family whilst he visits rather than try and find excuses to avoid an awkward meeting.”
Harry’s already met with his father once in 2024. Shortly after Buckingham Palace announced the king’s cancer diagnosis, Harry traveled to England for a brief visit. Meanwhile, his relationship with Prince William is said to be at an all-time low. The brothers haven’t been in the same room since their father’s coronation in 2023.
