Harry and Meghan’s rumoured UK visit has created a dilemma for the royal family, an expert says(Image: Getty Images)
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s trip to the UK this summer could see King Charles reunited with his youngest grandchildren for the first time in four years, while also creating a major “dilemma” for the royal family. The couple are rumoured to be visiting Harry’s homeland in July to kick off the countdown to the Invictus Games in 2027, and royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams predicts that by bringing Archie, six, and Lilibet, four, they could pave the way for better royal relations.
“There is so much hostility over here towards the Sussexes, and if they’re hoping to smooth the path with Charles, a reunion with the grandchildren would be an obvious way of doing that,” Richard says. “I don’t think the King will be involved in anything to do with the Games this summer, but I do think it’s a real possibility that he will see Harry and his grandchildren, and that probably means seeing Meghan too.”
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The King could be reunited with his grandchildren this summer(Image: meghan/Instagram)
There have been some positive signs of a reunion between Harry and his father(Image: Getty Images)
King Charles last spent time with Archie and Lilibet when they flew over for Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022, so a reunion is long overdue. And while Meghan hasn’t set foot on UK soil since attending Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in September that year, Richard believes she will definitely be involved in Harry’s passion project.
He says, “It would be unthinkable for Meghan not to appear at Invictus because it would look like she was hiding away, and she will stand by Harry no matter what.” Harry founded the Invictus Games, which honours wounded military personnel and veterans, in 2014, and they have since become his main focus on the world stage. In summer 2024, the organisation revealed that Birmingham would host the 2027 Games – its first time back on UK soil in 13 years.
Charles and Harry in happier times during the inaugural Invictus Games in 2014(Image: PA Archive)
There is now increasing speculation about whether the Sussexes might reunite with the King – and the Prince and Princess of Wales – this summer, and also whether the King will publicly support next year’s event in his role as Head of the Armed Forces. While he and Harry met briefly last September at Clarence House, William and his brother have reportedly not spoken to one another in more than three years.
Richard recalls them “looking daggers at each other” during the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey in 2020, a few weeks before the Sussexes officially stepped down as working royals. And while Harry and Meghan joined William and Kate to view the floral tributes to Queen Elizabeth in Windsor following her funeral, royal commentators noted a palpable frostiness between the couples.
William ‘major barrier’ to Charles and Harry reunion – report(Image: Getty Images)
“The Sussexes have created endless cracks, but we will never see a public showdown, because it was a catastrophic mess at Westminster Abbey, a PR disaster, and the royal family will ensure nothing like that ever happens again,” he says. “But behind closed doors, it would be extremely tense if Harry and Meghan met with Catherine and William when they’re in the UK.”
Richard says there could well be a “divergence” between Charles and William on the topic of Harry and how to support his Invictus cause, but he believes Harry will be “banking on the Windsors putting duty before their personal feelings”.
Richard suspects William’s opinion of his younger brother won’t change(Image: Getty Images)
“The Games are a major dilemma for the royals and it’s a dilemma that the Sussexes have created themselves,” says Richard. “Because Harry founded the Invictus Games, it’s up to him – although maybe not officially – what happens with it.
“The end of the event clashes with Queen Camilla ’s 80th birthday, but that isn’t a reason for Charles not to open the Games if he intends to, and there is a very good case for him doing so because he is Head of the Armed Forces and it’s a major military charity event.
“At the moment though, it’s completely unclear how the royal family are going to respond, given the Sussexes put three nuclear bombs under Buckingham Palace with Spare, the Oprah Winfrey interview and their Netflix series.”
The Sussexes dropped ‘nuclear bombs’ on Buckingham Palace, according to Richard(Image: Getty Images)
Following the release of Harry’s memoir Spare in 2023, William was said to be furious with his brother for writing about Kate. Recalling the “bridesmaid dress drama” where Meghan and Kate allegedly clashed over Princess Charlotte’s gown shortly before his wedding, Harry included details of private text messages between the future sisters-in-law and said he “found Meg on the floor, sobbing”. Meghan claimed Kate later apologised.
If the King decides not to open the Games himself, it begs the question of who would or could represent him. According to Richard, it is highly unlikely to be the Prince of Wales.
“The Sussexes are probably hoping to alter public opinion, but I don’t think William’s opinion of them and what they have done can be altered,” he says. “So the King’s outlook might differ from William’s when it comes to Harry, but he would never put William in a situation that he’d find publicly awkward.”
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