The ongoing tension between King Charles and his estranged son, Prince Harry, continues to persist.

This strained relationship, coupled with physical and emotional distance, has resulted in the monarch spending very little time with his two youngest grandchildren, Prince Archie, aged five, and Princess Lilibet, aged three. He has reportedly only seen Archie in person a few times and Lilibet just once shortly after her birth.

However, recent reports suggest that King Charles has expressed a desire to build a closer relationship with Harry and Meghan Markle’s children, especially following his sudden health concerns earlier this year. In February, the King was diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer during a procedure for an enlarged prostate and is currently undergoing treatment.

A source recently shared with Mirror US, “King Charles has expressed his wishes to see his grandchildren – and there’s no better time than the festive period to bring families together. There is no feeling like being a grandparent, and it is a role King Charles relishes. It is his hope for his family to be reunited, and there’s no better way than spending quality time with his grandchildren at Christmas. It would be truly special.”

The source continued, “There’s nothing King Charles wants more than to see his family united, and for his sons to put the past behind them and move forward. These are his twilight years, and he wants to enjoy them with his grandchildren making special memories.”

King Charles didn’t always have a distant bond with his grandchildren, especially Archie. When Archie was born in May 2019, the King expressed that he “couldn’t be more delighted.” During Archie’s christening, the King’s former Clarence House Instagram account featured a heartwarming image of Charles proudly gazing at the newborn.