In 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle resigned from their royal responsibilities. Their son, Prince Archie, was just a few months old at the time, and the couple chose to move to the United States to begin a different chapter in their lives. As Prince Archie matures, it’s expected that he’ll develop a growing curiosity about his homeland and his grandfather.
Despite the ongoing tensions between Harry and his father, reports suggest that Archie is eager to visit the UK following the Duke’s recent journey to London for the Invictus Games event.
Royal author Tom Quinn, speaking to the Mirror, asserted that the Duke’s son “loves the idea” of King Charles residing in a castle. Nevertheless, he suggested that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are hesitant to “encourage” his trip to the UK.
Reports indicate that the Duchess of Sussex is concerned that Archie may develop a longing for his homeland as he grows up and may hold his parents responsible for distancing him from the royal family, particularly his grandfather.
“Meghan was worried that a magnificent shepherd’s hut or similar extravagant present will only increase Archie’s growing interest in his royal connections,” Quinn said.
The royal expert noted that Meghan, not wanting Britain to become an unattainable fantasy for Archie, has urged the Duke to ask the King to send Archie a simple gift.
The expert also mentioned that the monarch is keen to show his affection for his grandchildren and wishes to be a doting grandparent. This stems from Charles’s desire to make up for what he views as his past shortcomings with his own sons, he added.
Quinn highlighted that the monarch hasn’t seen Archie since 2022, stating, “Archie truly misses him.” He added that Archie knows his grandfather lives in a castle because his books are filled with kings, princesses, and castles.
“He is apparently desperate to come to the UK with his father, but Meghan and Harry don’t want to encourage this,” he concluded.
Amid the sensitive issue of the royal family’s strained ties between the United States and the United Kingdom, it was reported that King Charles planned to surprise Archie with an impressive £18,000 gift for his fifth birthday on May 6. However, the Sussexes appeared to have declined the gesture. According to a source close to the royal couple, Harry did not outright reject his father’s intention to present his son with a gift.
Prince Archie, born on May 6, 2019, in the United Kingdom, saw his parents step back as senior royals the following year, relocating to California in June 2020. Meghan later gave birth to Princess Lilibet in the United States in 2021.