The King is said to have welcomed the Sussex family as a way of reconnecting with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, rather than as part of any wider negotiation with Harry and Meghan.
Royal commentator Rob Shuter suggested that the meeting should not be viewed as a sign that Charles had given in to the couple’s demands.
“This wasn’t a surrender. It was a grandfather wanting to see his grandchildren,” Shuter said, according to Sky News Australia. “People are confusing compassion with capitulation.”
He also pointed to the lack of official photographs or statements from Buckingham Palace as evidence that the meeting remained personal rather than institutional.
According to Shuter, Charles acted as a father and grandfather, not as the head of the monarchy discussing new terms with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Harry and Meghan stepped back from their roles as senior working royals in 2020 before moving to California with their son, Archie. The couple later spoke publicly about their experiences within the Royal Family and raised concerns about how they had been treated.
They have since built a life in the United States, where they welcomed their daughter, Princess Lilibet.
While the recent reunion may have helped Charles reconnect with his grandchildren, it does not appear to have changed his position on Harry and Meghan’s relationship with the monarchy.
