The Prince of Wales had a “very emotional and wonderful” first meeting with his granddaughter Lilibet and a “very special” reunion with grandson Archie, it has been revealed.
Prince Charles met his two youngest grandchildren earlier this month when their parents, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, briefly visited the UK.
The heir to the throne and the Duchess of Cornwall were “absolutely thrilled” to see Prince Harry and Meghan and their children when they travelled from California for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, according to a royal source.
Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, also known as Lili, had her first birthday during her stay and also met her namesake great-grandmother, the Queen, for the first time.
Harry, who quit as a senior working royal in 2020, has had a troubled relationship with his father, telling US television presenter Oprah Winfrey how he felt let down and how Charles stopped taking his calls at one stage.
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Prince Charles has ‘very emotional’ first meeting with granddaughter Lilibet
The monarchy was hit by a crisis when the Sussexes, in the same March 2021 interview, accused an unnamed royal of being racist towards their son before he was born, and the wider institution of failing to help Meghan when she had suicidal thoughts.
But a senior royal source said it had been “wonderful” to have the family back in the UK.
“It was fantastic to see them. It was wonderful to have them back in Britain,” the source said.
“The prince and the duchess were absolutely thrilled to see them.
“The prince, of course, hasn’t seen his grandson Archie for a bit of time and so it was very, very, very special to have some time with him.
“He hadn’t met Lili, his granddaughter, and so to meet her was very emotional, a very, very wonderful thing.”
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Harry and Meghan appeared at the jubilee service of thanksgiving in London’s St Paul’s Cathedral but sat far across the aisle from Charles, Camilla and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
The Sussexes did not take part in any other public jubilee festivities.
Charles also has three other grandchildren, George, Charlotte, and Louis, whose parents are Prince William and Kate.
