Prince Charles finally met his granddaughter Lilibet face-to-face for the first time during a "very emotional" meeting earlier this month, a royal source has revealed.
The heir to the throne got to meet the one-year-old and had a special reunion with his three-year-old grandson Archie, when their parents Prince Harry and Meghan Markle brought them to the UK for the Queen's Jubilee.
Both Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, were said to be “absolutely thrilled” to see Harry and Meghan and their children when they travelled briefly from California for the celebrations earlier this month.
Harry, who quit as a senior working royal in 2020, has had a troubled relationship with Charles, telling how he felt let down and how his father stopped taking his calls at one stage.
The couple left the monarchy in crisis after using a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey to accuse an unnamed royal of being racist towards their son before he was born, and the wider institution of failing to help Meghan when she had suicidal thoughts.
But a senior royal source, at the briefing of Clarence House’s annual review, said it had been “wonderful” to have the Sussexes back in the UK at the start of June.
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“It was fantastic to see them. It was wonderful to have them back in Britain,” the source said.
“The prince and the duchess were absolutely thrilled to see them.
“The prince, of course, hasn’t seen his grandson Archie for a bit of time and so it was very, very, very special to have some time with him.
“He hadn’t met Lili, his granddaughter, and so to meet her was very emotional, a very, very wonderful thing.”
Lili had her first birthday during her stay and also met her namesake great-grandmother, the Queen, for the first time.
Harry and Meghan appeared at the jubilee service of thanksgiving in St Paul’s Cathedral but sat far across the aisle from Charles and Prince William and wife Kate, and did not take part in any other public jubilee festivities.
Following the Sussex's trip to the UK, the released a new picture of Lilibet after celebrating her first birthday.
The "candid and spontaneous" image was taken by photographer Misan Harriman at a birthday picnic.
Friends and family also attended the event, which was held at Frogmore Cottage, in Windsor.
Lilibet's birthday picnic even featured a cake from baker Claire Ptak, who made one for Harry and Meghan's wedding in 2018.
