King Charles and Queen Camilla finally met with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex who were accompanied by their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Buckingham Palace confirmed that the royals had met for a “private family gathering” at the Charles’s Gloucestershire home, which holds a sentimental significance not only to the monarch but also to his son.
Archie and Lilibet were in the UK for the first time in four years after months of speculations whether Charles would be able to meet his grandchildren or not. Since this was a much-anticipated meeting in the works, meticulous arrangements were made, including selection the location for the meet-up.
There were several reasons why the meeting did not take place at Buckingham Palace but rather Highgrove House.
The private residence is the childhood home of Prince Harry and it holds many memories for the Duke and the King. It was more fitting to visit a place that holds more sentimental value for a private gathering rather than the monarchy HQ.
It also keeps prying eyes away from the gathering. The Palace had also emphasised that no photos would be released from the meeting, suggesting that all measures were taken to keep the reunion a private affair an not a public spectacle.
Moreover, prior to the reunion, the King was already swamped with a busy royal diary and Harry had engagements of his own. Hence, Highgrove proved to be a middle-ground in terms of logistics.
After a morning of engagements in Oxfordshire, the King was only about an hour away by car to the location. And Harry was already less than a two-hour drive from Highgrove.
As an added bonus, the estate is also about two hours from Althorp House, Princess Diana’s childhood home and final resting place, where Harry and his family are expected to spend time during their visit.
2026-07-11 11:51:00
