Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would accept an invitation to spend Christmas with King Charles and the rest of the royal family at Sandringham, insiders claim, adding that they may need “increased protection” to make this happen.
The Duke of Sussex, who lives in California with Meghan Markle and their two children Archie, 4, and Lilibet, 2, is said to have spoken to King Charles in a phone call on Tuesday to mark his father’s 75th birthday.
Sources told the Times that the conversation could mark a “turning point” in the rocky relationship between the Sussexes and the royal.
Now there have been suggestions that the couple would be willing to accept an invitation to spend the festive period in the UK. It was also suggested that they would be willing to accept an invitation to Balmoral in Scotland in the summer.
“I can’t imagine the Sussexes would turn down an invitation to spend time with His Majesty,” a source told the newspaper.
“There are no invitations for the holidays yet.”
The thaw in their relationship comes after a source told the Mail on Sunday that King Charles wanted to “spend more time with his grandchildren”.
It is understood Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are ready to accept any invitation from King Charles to spend Christmas at Sandringham House
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle last spent Christmas at Sandringham in 2018, where photos of them strolling with Prince William and Catherine Middleton made positive headlines
Prince Harry is said to have spoken to his father on Tuesday, in which he played a video of his two children signing “Happy Birthday” to the royal
Sources close to the Sussexes say safety and security would be an issue during such a visit to the UK
It is understood that another phone call between the king and his son is planned for next week.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle last spent Christmas at Sandringham in 2018.
Sources close to the couple suggested that both would need “enhanced protection” to accept an invitation.
They added that without a residence in the UK, the Sussexes would also need a “formal invitation” from King Charles or Buckingham Palace to stay at a residence with sufficient protection.
In March, King Charles ordered Harry and Meghan to vacate Frogmore Cottage, their home in Windsor. They moved out completely in July.
Prince Harry will no longer enjoy police protection during his stay in the UK after the Home Office decided to withdraw it.
Royal family officials said the prince would likely be provided with accommodation for short visits, subject to appropriate requests.
The revelation that the Susssexes would accept invitations to spend time with King Charles in Britain suggests they are trying to repair relations damaged in recent years.
The Sussexes’ children, Archie and Lilibet, have spent little time with King Charles. They have never spent Christmas with their grandfather and this distance is said to cause excitement on both sides.
They allegedly made a video of the song “Happy Birthday for the King,” which was shown during Tuesday’s call.
Sources believe the Sussexes would need a “formal invitation” from King Charles or Buckingham Palace to stay in a residence with adequate security
The Sussexes’ children, Archie and Lilibet, have spent little time with King Charles. This distance should cause excitement on both sides
The Mail on Sunday revealed that the king spends more time in Windsor than he did as Prince of Wales, usually at weekends.
That means he lives very close to the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three grandchildren, who moved into Adelaide Cottage on the Windsor estate last year.
A source said: “Charles wants to spend more time with his grandchildren. “There’s so much love in it.
“They used to be miles away from the Waleses, but geographically they are much closer now so he can spend more time with them and he is very happy.” [of it].’
For decades, Charles spent as little time as possible at Windsor Castle, but that has changed in recent months. William and Kate are also reportedly spending less time at their country retreat, Anmer Hall in Norfolk, during the semester.
Insiders praise Camilla and Kate for bringing the family together more often, but William will likely take some of the credit.
Despite struggling with the busy schedule of being a monarch, King Charles (pictured with grandson Prince Louis) seems to have finally gotten the hint and is stepping up his duties as a grandfather
Insiders credit Camilla and Kate (pictured) with bringing the family together more often, but William is likely to take some of the credit
When asked in 2018 if his father had time to become a grandfather, William told the documentary filmmakers: “It’s something I’m working on more intensively, so to speak.” I think he has time for it, but I do I would like him to have more time with the children.
“Now that he’s reached his 70th year, it’s the perfect time to consolidate a little bit because, like most families would, you’re worried about having them around and making sure that her health is fine – and he is the fittest man I know, but so am I.” I want him to stay fit until he is 95.
“So it would be nice to have more time with him at home and to be able to play with the grandchildren.” Because when he’s there, he’s brilliant. But we need him there as often as possible.’
There were fears that becoming a grandfather would make it even harder to establish himself as a royal, but Charles, who has just turned 75, is shifting his priorities and spending more time with George, ten, Charlotte, eight, and Louis, five .
There were fears that as king it would be even more difficult to fit into the role of grandfather, but Charles, who has just turned 75, is shifting his priorities and spending more time with George, ten, (pictured behind Charles) Charlotte, eight, (left) and Louis, five
A source said: “His habit is that he goes to Highgrove.” [in Gloucestershire] for the weekend and stops in Windsor on Friday.
“This of course makes it easier to see his grandchildren, with whom he has an incredibly warm and loving relationship.”
Queen Camilla has previously described Charles as a hands-on grandfather who would “get down on his knees and crawl around with them for hours.” . . make funny noises and laugh’.
He even turned his beloved Highgrove gardens into a toddler playground for Prince George. In 2015, when George was two years old, Charles renovated the treehouse that William and Harry once enjoyed.
The desire to be closer to his Welsh children is most likely not unrelated to the painful estrangement from his two grandchildren abroad.