King Charles ‘not content’ with Archie and Lilibet video calls and ‘wants to be present in lives’
The monarch, who has been having treatment for cancer since February, has told friends he is not content with only seeing them on video calls from their US home
The King has committed himself to building a relationship with Prince Harry ’s children and to be present in their lives, sources say.
The monarch, who has been having treatment for cancer since February, has told friends he is not content with only seeing them on video calls after meeting Archie, five, only a handful of times and two-year-old Lilibet once. His decision to step up efforts to become more involved comes as it can be revealed he sent Lili a “heartfelt gift and card” on her birthday. Sources close to the 75-year-old King, who was in Normandy last week for D-Day commemorations, say he is “keener than ever” to focus on his family and his duties and “make up for lost time” after being forced to scale back engagements after his diagnosis.
Prince Harry, 39, his wife Meghan, 42, and their children live in Montecito, California, after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex quit royal life in 2020. Relations with the Royal Family have become fractured after high-profile interviews, including one with Oprah in 2021, a Netflix show in 2022, and Harry’s explosive 2023 memoir, Spare.
Those who know the King best say he has been in a reflective mood and considers his close bond with his son William’s three children a blessing. He is a “fantastic and enthusiastic grandpa” to Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, five, sources say. His wife Camilla, 76, is also understood to be a driving force behind his decision to ramp up efforts to see his other grandchildren.
A source said: “The King is absolutely committed to being present in all of his grandchildren’s lives. He values family above everything and whatever the course of his relationship with his son he would never be content with just seeing his grandchildren on the odd video call.”
