King Charles and Queen Camilla welcomed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, along with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, for a private family gathering on Friday afternoon. The meeting took place at Highgrove House, which serves as the King’s private country residence located in Gloucestershire, England.
This event marks a significant milestone, as it is the first time in four years that the King has been seen with the entire Sussex family. The last occasion the group was together in the UK was during the late Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. While Prince Harry has returned to the UK for several brief visits since then, including for his grandmother’s funeral in 2022 and his father’s coronation in 2023, his interactions with the monarch have been limited. The most recent confirmed meeting between the father and son occurred last September, when they shared tea at Clarence House in London.
Prince Harry arrived in the United Kingdom on Monday evening. His primary reason for the trip was to mark the one-year countdown to the Invictus Games, the Paralympic-style sporting competition for injured servicemen and veterans that he established over a decade ago. In addition to the games, he has been fulfilling a variety of other charity engagements throughout the week.
There had been prior expectations that Meghan and their two children, now aged 7 and 5, might join the Prince during his visit, with hopes that the trip would provide an opportunity for the King to reunite with his young grandchildren. Reports from the British media suggest that Meghan and the children had been vacationing at their home in Portugal before traveling to the UK for this visit.
Because the meeting was held as a private family occasion, it is understood that the royal family does not intend to release any images or further details regarding the gathering.
CNN’s Anna Stewart and Lauren Kent contributed to this report.
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