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King Charles Extends 'Olive Branch' To Prince Harry and Meghan Markle With a Sweet Gesture

After Prince Harry’s recent UK reunion with King Charles, the monarch is reportedly eager to build bridges with the Sussexes.

King Charles's meeting with Prince Harry for private tea on September 10 marked a positive step toward mending their long-standing rift. While royal watchers celebrated the father-son reunion, many wondered where the King stood with Meghan Markle. Now, rumor has it that Charles is ready to build bridges with the Sussexes. According to a recent report, the King has displayed several pictures of Harry and Markle in the State Drawing Room throughout Hillsborough Castle, a gesture that has been dubbed an 'olive branch.'

As per The Mirror, Charles has pictures scattered of all his relatives across Hillsborough. One photo shows Harry and Markle smiling during their engagement photocall, while another is a family photo of them with Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Kate Middleton. However, Prince Andrew is noticeably absent from the display, possibly due to his connection with Jeffrey Epstein.

Charles’s gesture highlights that his response to the royal family’s rift with Harry and Markle is much softer than that of the late Queen Elizabeth. Back in late 2019, after the Sussexes conveyed that they wished to leave the royal family, the Queen gave her highly televised Christmas speech, as per tradition. However, it was not her words that caught attention, but rather the photographs in the background. Notably, while pictures of William, Middleton, Charles, Camilla, and Prince Philip were present, Harry and Markle were markedly absent. Shortly after the snub, in January, the Sussexes announced that they were stepping down as senior royals.

Given this history, Charles's inclusion now is being seen as an 'olive branch.' Commenting on the same, a source said, "Royal Historic Palaces make decisions on what they believe to be appropriate. They are also guided by members of the royal family, but the decision over what pictures of the family to use ultimately lies with the King."

Charles may have a good reason to extend the 'olive branch,' as he is reportedly longing to meet his grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. This may not be too far off in the future, considering Harry recently revealed in his Guardian interview that he is open to bringing his kids to the UK. When asked if he would consider the possibility of doing so, Harry replied, "Yes, I would. This week has definitely brought that closer," referring to his reunion with Charles. Interestingly, back in May, the Duke of Sussex had told the BBC that he doesn’t "see a world in which [he] would be bringing [his] wife and children back to the UK."

After their recent meeting, a spokesperson for the Duke confirmed that Harry had gifted his father a photo of his grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet, during the reunion. However, whether the said photo is on display at Hillsborough Castle remains unknown. The King has not met his grandchildren since June 2022.