LONDON — King Charles III hosted Prince Harry, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and their two children at Highgrove House on Friday in the first known family gathering of its kind in years, marking a significant step in efforts to ease long-running tensions within Britain's royal family, Buckingham Palace confirmed.
The private meeting brought together the king, Queen Camilla, Prince Harry, Meghan, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet at the monarch's Gloucestershire country residence. Buckingham Palace said the gathering was a private family occasion and indicated that no further details or photographs would be released.
The reunion comes after years of strained relations following Harry and Meghan's decision in 2020 to step back from royal duties and relocate to California. The relationship deteriorated further after a series of television interviews, Harry's memoir Spare, and disputes over security arrangements during visits to the United Kingdom.
Harry had returned to Britain earlier in the week for charity engagements linked to the Invictus Games. His visit prompted widespread speculation in British media over whether he would meet his father and whether Meghan and the couple's children would travel to Britain to join him. Buckingham Palace confirmed the family gathering after the meeting took place.
The visit also allowed King Charles to spend time with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, who had not been publicly known to have visited their grandfather in several years. The meeting took place as Charles continues to undergo treatment following his cancer diagnosis, making the family reunion particularly notable, although palace officials provided no details about discussions or the duration of the visit.
Media reports said the gathering remained closely guarded, with both Buckingham Palace and representatives for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex declining to disclose additional information beyond confirming that the meeting occurred. Officials emphasized that it was a private family event rather than an official royal engagement.
Prince William was not part of the reunion, according to multiple media reports, and there was no indication from palace officials that a separate meeting between the brothers had taken place during Harry's visit.
Neither Buckingham Palace nor representatives for the Sussexes announced any further engagements involving the family following the Highgrove meeting.
