<\/p>\n
King Charles III is said to be \u201cfed up\u201d with the drama that continues to follow his estranged son.<\/p>\n
The claim comes from British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard following The Mirror\u2019s<\/a> report that the Duke of Sussex is \u201cfrantically\u201d trying to secure private security for his wife, Meghan Markle, and their two young children so they can travel to the U.K.<\/p>\n Fox News Digital reached out to Archewell, which handles the offices of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, for comment.<\/p>\n PALACE AIDES \u2018DON\u2019T TRUST\u2019 PRINCE HARRY ALONE WITH KING CHARLES, EXPERTS SAY<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n \u201cOf course, grandfather Charles wants to see his Montecito grandchildren,\u201d said Chard. \u201cHe just does not want the Sussex drama. King Charles is fed up \u2014 fed up with the rolling media briefings, the last-minute changes of plan, the security fight being litigated in public and in court.<\/p>\n \u201cThen there was the accommodation offer made, declined and then re-requested. The visit with the children is confirmed, then canceled and then maybe back on. It pulls the monarchy into a circus it cannot control.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe reputational damage is already done,\u201d Chard said. \u201cTo bring the Sussexes back into the fold publicly now would look like the institution surrendering to pressure. If Harry and Meghan want the king to meet his grandchildren, it will have to be strictly private, properly planned and without the press in tow. The Sussexes will have to agree to the king\u2019s terms to avoid the royal family<\/a> becoming the laughingstock of the world.\u201d<\/p>\n WATCH: KING CHARLES WENT \u2018ABOVE AND BEYOND\u2019 FOR PRINCE HARRY: EXPERT<\/strong><\/p>\n Harry\u2019s return to his home country has been troubled from the start.<\/p>\n After reports that the prince would visit the U.K. with his family, the U.K. government declined his request for police protection outside royal residences, prompting him to travel alone on July 6. He is expected to remain there through July 11 for events highlighting the Invictus Games.<\/p>\n It is unclear whether he will meet with his father or if his family will join him before the end of his trip. The Telegraph<\/a> reported that Meghan is expected to travel to Britain this week with the children. Fox News Digital reached out to a Sussex spokesperson for comment.<\/p>\n Harry\u2019s troubles have only deepened. On July 7, the Duke of Sussex lost his yearslong privacy lawsuit<\/a> against Associated Newspapers Limited, publisher of the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday. The case involved Harry and six other claimants, including Elton John and Elizabeth Hurley. The High Court dismissed their claims after finding they failed to prove unlawful information gathering.<\/p>\n Associated Newspapers Limited called the ruling an \u201coverwhelming victory\u201d and a \u201cmagnificent vindication.\u201d Harry said the court denied him the justice and accountability he sought. The publisher has long denied the allegations, calling them \u201cpreposterous\u201d and maintaining the articles were based on lawful sources, including friends, royal aides and publicists.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the royals have kept their distance, carrying on their duties without meeting with Harry. At one point, Harry and his older brother, Prince William, were just 12 miles apart. Royal experts previously told Fox News Digital that Kate Middleton and Queen Camilla were choosing to keep their heads down, keep calm and carry on.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n British royal expert Hilary Fordwich<\/a> previously told Fox News Digital that Harry\u2019s \u201cdebacle\u201d over security and his \u201cself-inflicted court case\u201d have been \u201cstressful\u201d for the king. Harry has said the litigation became one of the primary causes of his falling out with his father and brother. In pursuing the case, he broke with royal family tradition by taking the dispute to court.<\/p>\n The Sussexes lost their taxpayer-funded security after they stepped back as senior working royals. Harry was denied the restoration of that security by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC).<\/p>\n Fox News Digital reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery time it looks as if there might be a last-minute chance for some sort of tender reunion, it all falls apart,\u201d Christopher Andersen, author of \u201cThe King,\u201d<\/a> told Fox News Digital. \u201cEvery planned kumbaya moment turns into a dumpster fire. The latest court ruling against Harry at the very moment when he might have been able to at last have a few moments with his father is a perfect example.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe idea that the king would love to have a relationship with his grandchildren is no secret,\u201d said Andersen.<\/p>\n \u201cThat has been the case from the beginning. Don\u2019t forget that Charles stepped up to walk Meghan halfway down the aisle when she married Harry<\/a> because her own father didn\u2019t show. King Charles was always very fond of Meghan, so, to a large degree, he also feels betrayed by her. It\u2019s a very complex situation, and maybe even more complicated by the behind-the-scenes intrigues of palace operatives.\u201d<\/p>\n LIKE WHAT YOU\u2019RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n People magazine previously reported that ahead of Harry\u2019s trip, his team spent several days exploring ways to make the visit safe through enhanced private security arrangements. Palace sources said Harry initially declined an invitation to stay at a royal residence before accepting it on Saturday.<\/p>\n Harry\u2019s spokesperson told People that an offer for the Duke of Sussex to stay at Buckingham Palace during his London visit was withdrawn after he had formally accepted it. Palace sources, however, disputed that account, saying Harry failed to respond by the deadline and that his later acceptance came only after arrangements could no longer be made.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom King Charles\u2019 perspective<\/a>, the issue isn\u2019t whether he loves Harry or his grandchildren \u2014 it\u2019s whether private family business can remain private,\u201d Kinsey Schofield, host of YouTube\u2019s \u201cKinsey Schofield Unfiltered,\u201d told Fox News Digital. \u201cRight now, there is very little evidence to reassure him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve never doubted that King Charles would love to know Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe tragedy is that affection isn\u2019t what\u2019s missing \u2014 trust is. I think King Charles can long for a relationship with his grandchildren while recognizing that any meeting carries institutional and reputational risks. The king\u2019s heart may say yes. His experience tells him to proceed very carefully. The reunion begins with rebuilding confidence that family moments won\u2019t become public commodities.\u201d<\/p>\n Harry has been estranged from his family since he and his wife stepped back as senior royals in 2020, citing what they described as unbearable intrusions by the British press and a lack of support from the palace.<\/p>\n After moving to California, they aired their grievances in interviews and documentaries. Harry\u2019s 2023 memoir, \u201cSpare,\u201d<\/a> further strained relations. The palace has never publicly commented on the book.<\/p>\n Following the couple\u2019s 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Queen Elizabeth II issued a statement, remarking, \u201cSome recollections may vary.\u201d<\/p>\n While Archie, 7, was born in the U.K., Lilibet, 5, was born in California<\/a>. Charles met his granddaughter only once, during the family\u2019s 2022 visit to Britain.<\/p>\n \u201cThe relationship between King Charles and the Sussexes is undoubtedly distant, and he is wary of them,\u201d royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said. \u201cAs the world knows, there is a rift in the royal family<\/a>, and [it\u2019s believed] that William wants nothing to do with them. The king\u2019s biggest priority right now is the future of the monarchy. He also knows William, Catherine and their family are its future.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEven if there were a meeting, any true relationship takes time,\u201d Fordwich said. \u201cThe rest of the royal family, particularly Prince William, is extremely wary.\u201d<\/p>\n In 2025, Harry told the BBC he would \u201clove\u201d reconciliation with his family, noting \u201cthere\u2019s no point in continuing to fight anymore.\u201d He also acknowledged that his memoir and the couple\u2019s interviews raised concerns within the royal family.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, some members of my family will never forgive me for writing a book,\u201d he said. \u201cOf course, they will never forgive me for a lot of things.\u201d<\/p>\n