Prince Harry plays a desperate game of family chess to make King Charles hand him his security demands

In a heartless move, Prince Harry has alienated his children from King Charles III in retaliation for his decision to strip him of his police protection in the U.K. The Duke of Sussex is said to be refusing to bring Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3, to see their grandfather in the pretense of a lack of security during visits to the country.

The children, like their mother Meghan Markle, haven’t stepped foot on British soil since 2022. The family of four were all there for the Platinum Jubilee and for Lili’s first birthday in June. The Duchess of Sussex later joined her husband for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September. In those few times they were in the U.K., it’s unclear whether Archie and Lili saw their granddad King Charles, as the Sussexes’ relationship with the Royal Family by then was already strained.

Despite being miles apart, Harry and Meghan also try to form some semblance of a relationship between the children and their grandfather. Last year, there were reports that Archie and Lili delighted their grandfather with a recorded video of themselves singing Happy Birthday for his 75th birthday. It’s unclear whether they did a repeat of their performance for his birthday this year.

But that’s as far their relationship goes, as the children haven’t been back in the U.K. due to Harry‘s fears that something bad could happen to them in the country without protection. The Sussexes lost their tax-funded security when they left their royal duties in 2020.

Harry has since been fighting for it to be reinstated and is in a legal fight with the Home Office to allow him to personally fund for his and his family‘s police protection during visits to the country. Until this is resolved, then Archie and Lili will just have to settle for video calls — that is, if Charles is still willing amid claims that he isn‘t even replying to his son’s messages.

However, according to royal biographer Ingrid Seward, “it doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to see his grandchildren.” She thinks Charles is “desperate to see” them personally as “he’s only ever met them once or twice, and they’re growing up.” But his wayward son’s demands have him backing down. Harry is said to be adamant that his father has the authority and the money to resolve his security issues, and believes that if he wants to see his grandchildren, then he should just help out.

“But Harry won’t come here unless he has this, that and the other. And he wants an armed escort, and he’s making too many demands. And I completely understand. (But) Charles (is saying), ‘Look, I’m just not going to ask them this yet.’”

Archie and Lili haven’t spent Christmas with their Royal relatives, ever. Archie spent his first Christmas in Canada with Meghan and Harry in 2019, because it was during this time that the couple was already planning their royal exit. Then the suceeding holidays have been spent in their new home in Montecito, California, and the same goes for Lili.

It’s a missed opportunity again for Archie and Lili to see Charles and spend Christmas with the Royal Family this year, as Harry and Meghan have not been invited to Christmas at Sandringham. Seward is hopeful that a proper reunion will happen in the future, because she feels that the children will eventually bring the family back together. “It is difficult but I don’t think it’ll last forever. I really don’t and I hope not,” she said.