King Charles keen to 'form close bond' with Archie and Lilibet as relations with Harry remain frosty

The King, who has been undergoing cancer treatment for months, has committed himself to being present in his grandchildren's’ lives.

King Charles hopes to form a stronger connection with Prince Harry’s children as he continues to undergo cancer treatment, sources say.

The 75-year-old is dissatisfied with the distant relationship he has with grandchildren Archie, five, and Lilibet, two. The monarch has met the children only a handful of times, and expressed to friends that he would like to be present in their lives.

This comes as the King recently sent Lilibet a “heartfelt gift and card” on her birthday, The Mirror can reveal. Sources close to the King say he is “keener than ever” to prioritise family and “make up for lost time” as his diagnosis has meant he is attending fewer engagements.

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle stepped back from royal life in 2020, settling in Montecito, California to nurture their young family.

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Harry’s relationship with his father and brother has grown increasingly tense in subsequent years after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex released several revealing interviews, including Harry’s controversial memoir Spare .

The King remains at odds with his youngest son, recently sending a strong but cold message to Harry in a Cardiff tribute where he praised Prince William but failed to even mention Harry.

Charles has also been known to ignore Harry’s calls when the Prince wishes to discuss the matter of private security.

However, the monarch cherishes his relationship with William’s three children and sources say that he is a “fantastic and enthusiastic grandpa” to Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, five.

With a combination of old age and the urging of his wife Camilla, the King now appears to be making a concerted effort to bond with his other grandkids, sources indicate.

A source said: “The King is absolutely committed to being present in all of his grandchildren’s lives. He values family above everything and whatever the course of his ­relationship with his son he would never be content with just seeing his grandchildren on the odd video call.”

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Harry has made efforts to meet his father halfway, immediately flying to the UK upon hearing of his tragic diagnosis. However, the father and son met for just 30 minutes, indicating the King is finding it difficult to make amends.

The Duke told US ­broadcaster ABC: “I love my family. The fact that I was able to get on a plane and go and see him and spend any time with him, I’m grateful for that.”

Ingrid Seward, author of My Mother and I – The Inside Story of the King and Our Late Queen, said: “Family has always been important to the King.

"He remembers his own somewhat fragmented childhood as his parents were always busy doing their duty. It is a great sadness to him he doesn’t see more of Archie and Lilibet.

“That is why he will never break ties with Harry. 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 for ever.”

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