Archie, seven, and Lili, five, last saw their grandfather in person during Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022. The meeting between Charles and the young prince and princess is likely to be interpreted as a sign that the relationship between the King and his son, Harry, is thawing.
The Duke of Sussex was seen leaving Althorp House in Northamptonshire, the home of his uncle Earl Spencer, as headed to Scotty’s Summer Festival at Maxstoke Castle in Warwickshire, in his role as global ambassador of Scotty’s Little Soldier, a charity supporting bereaved military children and young people.
Harry had hoped that he would receive armed police protection during his landmark visit this week, but was furious when this was not the case and forced him to cancel Meghan and their children’s long-planned trip to the UK.
But on Thursday night, it looked like enhanced security had been put in place, with concerns about the safety of the duchess and her children mitigated. As a result, they would travel to Britain to join Harry.
However, it was made clear that, despite briefings to the contrary, the duchess would not be attending any public engagements with her husband.
She had been expected to join Harry for the Invictus one-year-to-go event at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) on Friday, but this was ruled out.
Meghan is understood to have travelled with their two young children to Britain on Friday morning, having been holidaying in Europe.
It is not known how long the Sussex family stayed at Highgrove but the significant family reunion comes after a bruising week for the Duke, who lost a £50 million privacy case against the publishers of the Daily Mail. As it was a private meeting, no pictures or further details will be released by Buckingham Palace.