A quiet tension is building inside the Sussex household, where two parents face opposing fears about the same question: should their children know their grandfather before it’s too late?
Prince Harry is pushing harder than ever to bring Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet back to the United Kingdom, but Meghan Markle remains deeply reluctant, even as the one obstacle she’s cited for years may soon disappear.
A Father’s Health and a Son’s Urgency
King Charles, 77, is fighting cancer. Though Buckingham Palace announced in December that his treatment will be reduced in 2026 after responding exceptionally well, the diagnosis has made time feel precious for Prince Harry, according to sources close to the couple.
Harry met his father for tea at Clarence House in September 2025, their first face-to-face encounter in 19 months. The brief reunion left Harry feeling hopeful, but it also sharpened his awareness that the clock is ticking.
Two Grandfathers, Two Health Crises
The Sussexes’ children are growing up estranged from both sides of their family. King Charles last saw six-year-old Archie and four-year-old Lilibet during the Platinum Jubilee in June 2022. Meanwhile, Meghan’s father, Thomas Markle, 81, recently had his left leg amputated below the knee after a blood clot cut off circulation in early December. He has never met his grandchildren.
The parallel crises have created what one source described as a window that won’t stay open forever.
The Security Barrier Begins to Crumble
For years, Harry has insisted he cannot bring his family to the United Kingdom without guaranteed armed police protection. He lost automatic security when he stepped back from royal duties in 2020, and his legal appeals were dismissed in May 2025. But in December, the Home Office ordered the first threat assessment review in five years.
The decision, expected in January 2026, could restore Harry’s taxpayer-funded protection and remove the practical barrier to a family visit.
“She Won’t Have That Excuse”
According to a source close to the Sussexes speaking in December, the potential security breakthrough has exposed deeper tensions in the marriage. The source explained that Harry fears Meghan still won’t want to return to the UK even if the security issue is resolved, adding that she won’t have that excuse anymore.
Discussions about the UK have become more frequent, especially over Christmas and into the new year, creating what insiders describe as mounting pressure.
Meghan’s Reluctance Runs Deeper Than Security
Meghan Markle, 44, associates the United Kingdom with unhappiness, fear, and anxiety, according to sources who spoke to the Daily Express. She has made it clear to those close to her that she has little appetite for a return, having built a life in California where she feels safe and in control.
The scrutiny she faced during her time as a working royal left scars that armed guards cannot heal, people familiar with her thinking say.
Harry Begging to Come Home
Insiders told Closer magazine that Harry’s marriage is under strain, not because of a lack of love, but because of opposing fears. Harry is begging to come home, they said. He talks about the UK constantly, knows his father is ill, and feels time slipping away. For him, 2026 feels urgent.
Meghan is determined to stay in the United States, and the couple’s inner circle fears the UK debate could strain the marriage to its breaking point.
A Meeting That Changed Everything
When Harry sat down with King Charles at Clarence House on September 10, the 54-minute private tea marked a potential thaw in their frozen relationship. Harry later told reporters his father was great and hinted to The Guardian that the week had definitely brought him closer to taking his children to the UK.
He expressed that the focus over the coming year really has to be on his father, suggesting he wants more than just one reunion.
The Spencer Family Offers an Olive Branch
While the Sussexes were not invited to the royal family’s Christmas gathering at Sandringham, Harry’s maternal family extended a warm invitation. Charles Spencer invited Harry, Meghan, and the children to spend Christmas at Althorp, the ancestral estate where Princess Diana is buried.
Although the gesture deeply touched Harry, Meghan was reportedly reluctant, and the couple ultimately stayed in California for the fifth consecutive year.
King Charles Wants to Be a Grandfather
Royal sources told the Daily Mail that King Charles wants to be a grandfather to his grandchildren, calling it an important pull. He has stayed connected through video calls from the Sussexes’ home in Montecito, but former palace staff say the King is not content with only seeing Archie and Lilibet on screens.
He was pleased when they came over for the Platinum Jubilee and hopes security arrangements could allow visits to Balmoral or Sandringham.
William and Kate Stay on the Sidelines
Prince William and Kate Middleton were not involved in the July peace summit talks between Harry’s aides and King Charles’s communications secretary, according to reports. Sources close to William told The Daily Mail the couple is treating the talks with extreme caution.
Kate has reportedly urged William to reconcile with Harry, but William is not up for it yet. The rift between the brothers remains deeply strained, with no sign of improvement.
Thomas Markle’s Fading Hope
Thomas Markle underwent a three-hour life-or-death surgery in the Philippines on December 3 after his foot turned blue and then black. His son Thomas Jr. told the Daily Mail there was no option but amputation. Meghan sent her father a letter via the US consulate, delivered in the presence of a lawyer and videotaped for the record.
It marked her first contact with him in years, though reports say she fears calling due to privacy concerns.
Two Children Caught in the Middle
Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet are at an age where they may soon start asking bigger questions about their missing grandfathers. They have no relationship with Thomas Markle and have spent a limited amount of time with King Charles.
Sources say Harry worries his children will one day look back and realize the window closed before they had a chance to know their family. The weight of that possibility is what makes 2026 feel so urgent to him.
The Home Office Decision Looms
The Royal and VIP Executive Committee is collecting statements from police, government officials, and Harry’s team to reassess his threat level. A decision is expected in January 2026, and if Harry wins full armed protection during his UK visits, the practical barrier to bringing his family home will be removed.
Royal experts told Fox News the review may literally and figuratively clear the path for a family reunion, but only if Meghan is willing to walk it.
What Happens If Meghan Says No
If the security review succeeds and Meghan still refuses to return, Harry will face an impossible choice between his wife and his father. Sources close to the couple told RadarOnline that the UK plans could strain the marriage or even cause it to break up forever.
Harry has already said he would love reconciliation with his family, telling the BBC in May that there’s no point continuing to fight anymore because life is precious and he doesn’t know how much longer his father has.
Sources:
BBC News – Meghan, Duchess of Sussex makes contact with father Thomas Markle in hospital, December 2025
BBC News – King Charles shares good news that his cancer treatment will reduce in New Year, December 2025
The Guardian – ‘My conscience is clear’: Prince Harry on Ukraine, his family and the media, September 2025
Home Office – Prince Harry’s UK security arrangements under government review, December 2025
Buckingham Palace – Statement on King Charles and Prince Harry reunion, September 2025
People Magazine – Prince Harry ‘Closer’ to Taking Children to U.K. After King Charles Reunion, September 2025