Meghan Markle Has One Condition for Harry to Take Kids to Visit Grandpa Charles — and It’s Quite Valid

While Frogmore Cottage was briefly home for Archie, Lilibet, born in 2021 at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, has never lived in the UK.

Rumors about a potential royal family reunion were rife during the holiday season last year. However, several sources claimed that the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, allegedly had one very strict rule before Prince Harry took their kids, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, to visit their ailing grandfather, King Charles III. While Markle is fully in favor of these visits, she insisted on securing proper safety measures before anything was set in motion.

As per reports, an insider claimed, "Now, if it is deemed safe from a security standpoint, it's likely she will give her blessing for Harry to take Archie and Lilibet to see their grandpa, King Charles, at some point." The person added, "And in terms of logistics, having a place in Portugal will make that easier because Meghan can fly over with the kids without feeling trapped." While Frogmore Cottage was briefly home for Archie during his early months, Lilibet, born in 2021 at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, has never lived in the UK, where her father grew up.

As reported by the Irish Star, commenting on the new property, another source claimed, "She is [Markle] deeply concerned that the royal family might manipulate Harry into reintegrating without her, so she needs to be proactive to make sure she is not isolated or pushed to the sidelines." The house is only a 2 to 3-hour flight’s distance from the UK. Since stepping away from royal life in 2020, Markle has only visited the UK twice, while Harry has been there on multiple visits. Her last trip was in September 2022 for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral. The other visit across the pond was in June 2022 for the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Imagine #Archie & #Lilibet calling themselves Prince & Princess then having to admit that they have never been to the UK & that they know nothing about the Royal family or their history. Imagine other children asking when & where we're you born exactly?

— Summer Belle (@SummerRhapsody) January 31, 2024

At first, Harry and Markle intended to split their time between the UK and America to fulfill their obligations to the Queen and to ensure Archie had a relationship with his cousins. However, the Queen wanted otherwise. As reported by People magazine, her statement read, “My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family. Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working members of the royal family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.”

In the couple's bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey after stepping down from their royal duties, Harry clarified that he and Markle never intended to step away completely. He also emphasized that he never blindsided his grandmother, stressing that he had too much respect for her to do so.