ROYAL FAMILY NEWSKing Charles Reunites With Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Kids Archie and Lilibet for First Time in 4 Years Despite Security Concerns
King Charles hadn't seen his grandchildren since 2022.
July 10 2026, Published 3:54 p.m. ET
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's kids, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, finally reunited with their grandfather King Charles, following years apart.
Buckingham Palace confirmed to a news outlet that the king, 77, and his wife, Queen Camilla, hosted Harry, 41, Meghan, 44, and their two children on Friday, July 10, at Highgrove House, a private residence owned by the monarch in Gloucestershire, England.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Kids Visit U.K. for First Time in 4 Years
The event was described as a private family occasion.
The Suits actress and her children reportedly flew in from a vacation in Europe. No images are expected from the outing as it was said to be a private family occasion.
The in-person meeting marked the first time Archie, 7, and Lililbet, 7, saw their grandfather in four years. The children hadn't been to the United Kingdom since June 2022, when they joined their parents to attend Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
The 2022 event was when Charles and Camilla, 78, were introduced to Lilibet, who was born after Meghan and Harry relocated to California.
Prince Harry Was 'Frantic' About Bringing His Family to the U.K.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are parents to two children.
“It was very special to have some time with him," a source told People of the meeting at the time. "He hadn’t met Lilibet, his granddaughter, and so to meet her for the first time was very emotional — it was a wonderful thing."
As OK! previously reported, Harry was "frantically" trying to bring his family to his home country to reunite with his side of the family.
Insiders reported that Harry had several "hopeful" one-on-one conversations with his dad in recent weeks.
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Prince Harry Did Not Want His Children to be 'Chased by Paparazzi’
Prince Harry wants to keep his family 'safe' after losing the right to automatic, taxpayer police protection in the U.K.
The trip was almost put in jeopardy after Harry's request for police protection outside royal residences was declined. The U.K. native was reportedly adamant that his children would not be "chased by paparazzi."
"He won't put his family through that," a source told The Guardian on June 28. "He’s looking at every option to try and get the family here safely and keep them safe when they’re on the ground. If he can find a way to do that he will."
Prince Harry 'Quite Sad' Over U.K. Security Concerns
Prince Harry confessed that he couldn't see himself bringing his wife and kids to the U.K. without security.
After suffering a loss in his legal battle for police protection in May, Harry admitted that he couldn't "see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the U.K. at this point."
"The things that they're going to miss is, well, everything," he said of his children in an interview with the BBC. "I miss the U.K., I miss parts of the U.K., of course I do. I think that it's really quite sad that I won't be able to show my children my homeland."
