King Charles may finally meet grandchildren after Harry's security ruling

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped back from royal duties in 2020, taking their young family—son Archie and daughter Lilibet—with them to California. Since then, King Charles hasn't seen his two youngest grandchildren in person. That may be about to change.

The shift comes after a UK security review. In May 2025, Harry lost an appeal to maintain government-funded protection during visits to the UK. But the decision has triggered something unexpected: officials have now ordered a fresh threat assessment for the first time in nearly six years, according to reporting from The Sun and People.

The practical barrier to family visits has always been security. Without it, Harry's concerns about bringing his children back to the UK felt too risky. With a reassessment underway, that barrier may finally lift—and with it, the possibility of Archie and Lilibet meeting their grandfather in person for the first time in years.

It's a small shift in what has been a very public family fracture. The rift widened during the pandemic, compounded by Harry's years-long fight to keep government security during UK visits despite no longer holding an official royal role. King Charles has maintained regular contact with William's children, but his relationship with Harry and Meghan has remained strained.

No one knows yet whether a security reassessment will actually grant Harry what he's been asking for. UK officials declined to comment on the specifics, citing standard protocol about protective arrangements. But the fact that they've ordered the review at all suggests movement—however small—toward a resolution.

For two children who've never known their grandfather except through video calls and photographs, the chance to actually meet him matters. Family rifts are complicated and rarely heal cleanly, but sometimes they start to close when the practical obstacles finally shift.