Since moving to the US in 2020, the relationship between Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and senior members of the Royal Family has become notably strained, affecting interactions between their children, Archie and Lilibet, and their Windsor relatives, especially King Charles.
Former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond believes this strained dynamic is detrimental to the young royals and hopes Harry will not emulate Meghan's approach to family disputes.
"Having grandchildren is a powerful tug on the heartstrings. Little people who are part of your bloodline and have had nothing to do with family quarrels and tensions. Utterly innocent tiny tots who deserve to know and love their grandparents," Bond expressed to OK! Magazine.
Bond continued, "So I can imagine that the King very much wants the chance to get to know Archie and Lilibet and to create some memories for them. The children may provide the most compelling link between Charles and Harry, and convince them both to forgive, if not forget, the bitter rows of the past."
She concluded by saying, "I fervently hope that Harry will not follow Meghan's example of remaining obdurately estranged from her father and most of her family. Maybe Archie and Lilibet hold the key to reconciliation between Charles and Harry."
Bond's sentiments echo those of royal author and expert Ingrid Seward, who discussed the importance of family to King Charles, recalling his own childhood experiences and expressing sadness over the limited time he spends with Archie and Lilibet.
"He does not want a FaceTime relationship with his son's children. He wants to know them and be involved with their lives while they are still young enough to be able to learn from his wisdom. His cancer has made it all the more poignant to him as he knows that he won't be around forever," Seward shared with The Mirror.
The potential for Archie and Lilibet to miss out on a close bond with their royal relatives has been a topic of concern among experts. Royal author Tom Quinn previously mentioned Meghan's worries about her children missing out on connections with their British cousins.
Bond added to this sentiment, saying, "Children grow up and are innately curious about their heritage and background... When your heritage is one of the most famous families in the world, it will undoubtedly seem rather odd and perhaps sad that you hardly know or remember them."
"Imagine Archie, aged 15, telling his friends, 'My grandpa is/was King! And my Uncle is/will be King too.' But he hardly knew or met them. How sad... and Meghan would have to bear the brunt of the responsibility for that."
The ongoing dynamics within the Royal Family continue to raise questions about future relationships and the potential impact on Archie and Lilibet's understanding of their royal lineage.
