Meghan Markle's Reunion With King Charles 'Wasn't Entirely Warm,' Royal Expert Says Amid New William Rift

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's long-awaited reunion with King Charles earlier this month may not have been as smooth or emotionally warm as the palace's brief public confirmation suggested, according to royal author Christopher Andersen, who described the gathering as carrying underlying tension, particularly for Meghan.

Harry, Meghan and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, met privately with King Charles and Queen Camilla at the king's Highgrove residence earlier this month, marking the first time Charles had seen his youngest grandchildren in person in four years. While Buckingham Palace confirmed the meeting took place, it released no further details or photographs, describing the gathering strictly as a private family occasion.

Speaking to Page Six, Andersen said the visit was complicated by friction over security arrangements for the Sussex family during their time in the U.K., along with confusion surrounding an earlier offer for the couple to stay at a royal residence during the trip, an offer that was reportedly later withdrawn. "One gets the sense that, from Meghan's perspective, the reunion with Charles and Camilta wasn't entirely warm and fuzzy," Andersen said. He added that Meghan continues to strongly prefer her quieter life in Montecito, California, and is reportedly wary of any trip to the U.K. being misread as a sign that she wants to return to a more active role within the royal family. "It's fairly clear that Markle feels more secure in [her home] in Montecito, and doesn't want to give the impression that she will be any part of a return to royal life," Andersen said.

A palace source pushed back on Andersen's characterization of the meeting, questioning how the author could have detailed knowledge of what was described as a strictly private, family-only gathering, given that no official account of the meeting's tone or contents was ever released publicly.

Despite the reported tension surrounding Meghan's experience, Harry himself appeared notably positive following the reunion. According to an observer who saw the duke shortly afterward at an Invictus Games event in Birmingham, part of the broader lineup of engagements tied to his visit, Harry appeared "buoyed, very happy and really energized." Meghan, Archie and Lilibet reportedly kept a comparatively low profile throughout the trip, a decision tied to the U.K. government's earlier denial of official police protection for Harry during his time in the country, a long-running point of contention stemming from the family's 2020 departure from royal duties.

Charles has faced some public criticism for welcoming Harry and Meghan back into his home given the highly publicized nature of their earlier exit from royal life. Addressing that criticism, a source told the Daily Mail simply, "Blood is blood," adding, "every journey of a thousand miles begins with one footstep."

Beyond the reported tension during the meeting itself, sources speaking with People magazine indicated the broader security dispute surrounding the trip left Meghan feeling "humiliated," particularly once the internal disagreements over her family's protection became public. Those sources described "a lot of sadness" surrounding how the visit ultimately played out. Despite that difficulty, the sources said Meghan has remained fully supportive of Harry throughout the process, consistently choosing to "always let him lead" when it comes to navigating his relationship with the royal family. Harry, for his part, was reportedly "reduced to tears" over the prolonged back-and-forth involving his security arrangements, which prevented Meghan and their children from having what he had hoped would be a fuller experience during their time in the U.K.

Meghan's apprehension about the trip reportedly extended well beyond the security dispute itself. According to an insider who spoke with the Daily Examiner, cited by Sky News Australia, Meghan harbors deep and lingering distrust toward the palace stemming from what she has described as years of negative rumors and coverage directed at her following her departure from royal duties. "[Meghan] doesn't trust the palace one bit. In her mind, they've spent years spreading poisonous rumors about her, so she's finding it very hard to believe anyone's suddenly had a change of heart," the insider said. Despite those reservations, the same source said Meghan made a deliberate effort to remain positive throughout the visit, largely out of recognition of how significant the reunion was for Harry personally, given his repeatedly stated desire to repair his relationship with his father.

Separately, the Highgrove meeting has reportedly stirred fresh tension within the royal family involving Prince William, who was notably absent from the gathering. Sources described William as "furious" over his father's decision to meet with Harry and Meghan, while maintaining his own firm refusal to speak directly with his brother. An insider who spoke with the National Examiner said the ongoing standoff is placing growing strain on royal aides and senior family members loyal to both William and Charles. "The longer William digs in his heels and refuses to make peace with his brother, the more difficult it becomes for his aides and other senior royals, who are loyal to both him and Charles," the insider said. "It's become a real battle because Charles believes it's time for William to let this go." The source added that William has reportedly voiced disapproval over how his father has handled matters involving non-working members of the royal family more broadly, believing Charles has been "manipulated" into the reconciliation effort, a characterization insiders say has only deepened tension between father and son, given that Charles reportedly views the accusation as a sign William no longer trusts his judgment.

Royal commentators have pointed to William's absence from the Highgrove gathering as further evidence of just how strained his relationship with Harry remains, even as the meeting between Harry, Meghan and King Charles has been widely interpreted as a meaningful, if complicated, step toward broader reconciliation within the royal family following years of public estrangement.