King Charles's 'express request' for meeting Archie and Lilibet - but it might not be enough to convince William
He saw his Sussex grandchildren privately in July and so far we've not heard any details or seen any photos or clips of the visit
Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet's summer reunion with King Charles might've surprised some people - particularly because we've seen no photos of the joyful occasion. Instead, all Buckingham Palace did was confirm the Sussexes had met the King and Queen at Highgrove.
However, according to expert and Woman's Royal Editor Emily Andrews, this approach wasn't Harry and Meghan's choice, but Charles's. Writing in the latest issue, she suggested that His Majesty would've wanted everything else to be kept private.
"There has been no briefing from either Team Sussex or Buckingham Palace on what took place at Highgrove over tea - and certainly no photographs," Emily wrote. "That will have been the King's express request - that it should happen completely privately, and stay that way."
She believes that if any details or pictures are leaked the "fragile trust" between King Charles and his son and daughter-in-law "will be rocked once again". Although Meghan shared snapshots from the family's time in Europe on Instagram, she respected the monarch's reported "request" and no pictures of Archie and Lili with the King were included.
This is particularly interesting given what allegedly happened the last time the Sussexes visited the UK as a family in 2022.
The late Queen Elizabeth met Lili for the first time over the Platinum Jubilee weekend and Emily understands that Harry and Meghan asked if they could bring a "trusted photographer" to capture the moment.
Their own request was apparently "denied" and no pictures of the special family meet-up were shared then either.
This time it seems like the Sussexes were totally happy to honour the King's wishes and just enjoy the moment, as there's been no rumours of them asking again. Keeping it private maintains that "fragile trust" and also ensures the reunion remains a private, family matter. Even so, Emily believes Prince William wasn't delighted…
"I understand that William believes the couple should not have been rewarded with a family meeting, however private, with the King," she claimed recently. "His father has gone ahead, while William is the one carrying an ever-growing share of the actual work and popularity of the monarchy."
Balancing his relationships with both sons might prove tricky for King Charles as long as Harry and William's rift continues. In The Windsor Legacy, author Robert Jobson claimed that something the Duke of Sussex said in 2021 "shattered" brotherly trust.
Harry suggested that his older brother was "trapped" in the royal institution and Jobson alleged that the Prince of Wales "was furious" about this.
"William knew and embraced his path, both the burden and the honour. Harry's words cut deep," he wrote, adding that the "brotherly bond was shattered, and trust gone".
Despite this, Harry and Meghan seem to be making every effort to build trust back up with King Charles by keeping the details of the Highgrove meet-up between them. Perhaps, in time, they could have a reunion with the Waleses too, though privacy will be even more crucial there.
Read Emily Andrews' full feature in Woman magazine. Subscribe now and get your first 6 issues for £1.
