King Charles may view Prince Harry as an ‘absolute twit’ but will still love him, Jennie Bond says (Image: Getty)
King Charles may view Prince Harry as an “absolute twit” but will still love him despite the fallout from his son’s royal exit, a leading royal commentator has said. Jennie Bond said the King will want to see the Duke of Sussex during his visit to the UK and his grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
But she suggested the situation has been complicated by Harry‘s court battle with the Government over security for him and his family. Discussing how much Charles will want to see Archie and Lilibet, Ms Bond said: “And he probably wants to see his younger son as well. I’ve long held the view that it is the role of a parent to be the bigger person in all this and hold out your arms and say, ‘Look, you’ve been an absolute twit, but I still love you’.”
She added that was “probably” the same for King Charles, adding: “But it’s become very difficult because it’s got all mixed up with this security issue and his own son trying to sue his own Government.
King Charles will want to see Prince Harry and his grandchildren, Bond says (Image: Getty)
The former BBC royal correspondent told Sky News: “It’s become very difficult for the King, but I think he wants to see his son and, of course, he’s only met Lilibet once and Archie a few times so I’m sure he’d love to do that as he gets on in age.”
Ms Bond was commenting after it was revealed that Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, will not join Harry when he visits London next week.
Harry was planning for Meghan and their children to join him on his five-day trip to mark the one-year countdown to the Invictus Games in Birmingham.
Reports out earlier this week said the Duke was still trying to find a way to bring his wife and children to the UK safely, amid concerns over their security and confusion over where they would stay.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, will want to be by her husband’s side in Birmingham, Bond suggests (Image: Getty)
Harry was waiting for a review by the Risk Management Board (RMB), part of the process by which the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) rules on his security requirements. Reports suggest a request for police protection was turned down.
It is unclear whether this means Harry and his family will go to another royal residence outside of London and whether they will meet the King at all. Ms Bond suggested the Sussexes could potentially meet the King at Balmoral, Sandringham or Highgrove.
While Archie and Lilibet were not expected to attend any public events, it was previously reported Meghan was scheduled to join her husband on visits to the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London and an Invictus event at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.
Reuters reported earlier today that “a visit elsewhere in Britain had not been ruled out”.
Ms Bond said if Meghan does appear in the UK then the Midlands city is the likeliest place for her to show up, but she suggested the Duchess would not be greeted with fanfare outside of Invictus Games events.
She added: “Meghan has always been at [Harry’s] side for these games. She knows it’s her man’s big moment and big campaign and she will want to be there.
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“And so I reckon that if she’s going to fetch up anywhere, it’s going to be up in Birmingham on the countdown for Invictus.”
Harry has faced a protracted legal battle with the Home Office over the security arrangements for him and his family when in the UK after his level of protection changed when he and Meghan stepped down as a working royals in 2020.
When Harry lost a Court of Appeal challenge against the Home Office last year, he told the BBC that he had hopes of a reconciliation with his family, revealing Charles would not speak to him because of his security court case.
Ms Bond explained that Harry has offered to pay for Scotland Yard protection while in London previously, but this was refused.
She said while Harry has private security, they cannot carry guns, suggesting the Sussexes would be vulnerable in the face of an armed aggressor in the UK.
Asked why Harry and his family couldn’t enter the UK without it becoming public knowledge, Ms Bond said a “quiet visit” would be within the wit of the Sussexes.
She added: “That, obviously, would be a much better path.”