Prince Harry, Kate Middleton, and Prince William in 2013
Prince William, Kate Middleton, and Prince Harry on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, in June 2013 Carfax2, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

King Charles has reportedly seen his grandchildren Archie and Lilibet for the first time in two years, after hosting Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at Highgrove House on 10 July – a reunion that one commentator claims left Prince William 'furious'.

What might have been a private family visit has instead prompted fresh scrutiny of the strained royal relationships.

According to multiple reports, the King met the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their children at his private Gloucestershire residence. It was said to be the first time he had seen Archie and Lilibet since 2022. One royal commentator has claimed the Prince of Wales was not pleased about the visit.

Mark Dolan Claims William Was 'Furious' Over Highgrove Visit

TalkTV presenter Mark Dolan criticised the reunion on Sky News Australia. According to him, the Prince of Wales, who did not join the family get-together, was far from pleased about it.

'The Sussexes have won. Meghan Markle back on royal property,' he told host Paul Murray on 12 July.

'It's my understanding that William is furious about this. Why? Because it's a reward for the treachery, disloyalty and the cruelty of Harry and Meghan. Charles wants to see his grandchildren, I understand that, but I think that Harry and Meghan had no right to be on a royal property. They got their way as usual.'

It is not the first time Dolan has made this prediction. He previously said William 'will be furious' over the Sussexes' return to the UK, describing it as a 'terrible blow for Team Wales.'

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Commentator Says William's Focus Is Trust And The Institution

Royal commentator Kinsey Schofield offered Page Six a more measured read on William's likely mindset. According to her, 'Prince William probably understands why his father did it, even if he wouldn't have done it himself.'

'He can appreciate that a father living with cancer wants to see his son and grandchildren, while still believing that Harry has not earned his way back into the family's confidence,' Schofield explained.

She went further, framing the divide in terms of legacy versus longevity. Schofield argued that Prince William's 'priority' is 'protecting the institution he'll one day inherit,' noting that for him the question has never been whether Harry is family, but whether he can be trusted, something one visit to Highgrove cannot settle.

She added that while King Charles 'can afford to think about legacy,' Prince William must 'think about longevity.'

Inside The Highgrove Meeting With Harry, Meghan And The King

According to reports, the Sussexes spent time at Highgrove House, King Charles' private Gloucestershire residence, catching up with the monarch and Queen Camilla.

Schofield also argued that even though King Charles met with Prince Harry and Meghan, their reunion 'doesn't erase the past.'

'It doesn't mean the Palace should forget everything that's happened over the last six years,' she added. 'A father can forgive. A monarch still has to protect the Crown. ... One meeting is easy. Rebuilding trust is extraordinarily difficult.'

Where William Was As His Father Met The Sussexes

Prince William, meanwhile, was elsewhere. The Prince and Princess of Wales attended a charity polo match at the Guards Polo Club in Windsor, less than two hours away, throughout the visit.

Prince William and Kate Middleton were photographed sharing a rare public display of affection and smiling and appearing relaxed at the event despite the Sussexes' visit to King Charles.

Multiple reports said the brothers did not cross paths at any point during Harry's five-day trip to Britain, a gap that observers have read as a pointed choice rather than a scheduling coincidence.

The Duke of Sussex was in the UK primarily to promote the Invictus Games, marking one year until the sporting event he founded in 2014 for wounded and sick military veterans returned to Birmingham in 2027.

The Highgrove reunion, coming amid that trip, has added to ongoing tensions between the brothers that show little sign of easing before the Games begin in 2027.