Prince Harry 'hopes' for UK summer with Archie and Lilibet - but Meghan Markle 'not keen'
Prince Harry 'hopes' for UK summer with Archie and Lilibet - but Meghan Markle 'not keen'
Karen Rockett, Chiara Fiorillo Sun, May 31, 2026 at 8:43 AM UTC
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Prince Harry
Prince Harry reportedly wants to take his children to Balmoral (Image: Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Prince Harry has a deep desire for his children to experience a traditional Scottish summer at the royal estate of Balmoral, creating cherished memories alongside their grandfather King Charles, according to reports.
The Duke of Sussex fondly revisited his own childhood summers at Balmoral Castle in his explosive memoir, Spare, and now appears eager for his children to share a similar experience with the royal family in Scotland.
However, Meghan Markle is believed to have reservations about the idea, with her summer plans still taking shape asPrince Archie and Princess Lilibet are expected to break up from school next month.
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King Charles reportedly has one condition before seeing grandchildren Archie and Lilibet
The Duke of Sussex, 39, opened his widely discussed memoir, published in January 2023, with a heartfelt reflection on the significance the Scottish retreat held for him during his formative years.
He wrote, "To me, Balmoral was always simply Paradise. A cross between Disney World and some sacred Druid grove."
Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer pictured at Balmoral in 1981 (Image: Mirrorpix)
"I was always too busy fishing, shooting, running up and down 'the hill' to notice anything off about the feng shui of the old castle," he said, referencing longstanding legends surrounding the historic residence."
"What I'm trying to say is I was happy there," he continued. "In fact, it's possible that I was never happier than that one golden summer day at Balmoral: August 30, 1997."
That idyllic period would, of course, come to a devastating end when Harry and his brother, Prince William, received the heartbreaking news from their father that their mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, had tragically died in a car crash in Paris.
Yet in Spare, Harry goes on to depict the royal family's yearly Balmoral retreat as "its own micro-season" in the Scottish Highlands between the summer and fall, noting that the first of their two-week visits was predominantly spent outdoors, reports the Express.
Royals spend time at Balmoral Castle over the summer (Image: Getty Images)
"My family lived to be outdoors, especially Granny, who got cross if she didn't breathe at least an hour of fresh air each day," he wrote.
He also fondly recalled a Balmoral menu of fish fingers, cottage pies, roast chicken and green peas enjoyed by himself and William.
However, according to reports, Harry and Meghan are at odds over their summer plans this year.
While insiders suggest Harry is eager to reconcile with his family and visit Balmoral, giving his two children the opportunity to forge meaningful memories with their grandfather, Meghan is said to favor spending the season unwinding at their newly finished villa in Portugal.
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Sources indicate the prince "genuinely believes Balmoral could be the place where things finally start healing," as reported by the Metro.
"In Harry's mind, it's the perfect setting for Charles to spend proper time with Archie and Lilibet," one insider revealed.
"Harry feels time is precious and that the children need to see their grandfather now. There's a growing urgency around wanting the children to have memories with Charles."
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams stated, "When one has idyllic childhood memories of a place, it is only natural to want to share it with your nearest and dearest. It is therefore unsurprising that he reportedly cherishes a wish to take Archie and Lili to Balmoral to see King Charles.
Archie and Lilibet have made very few visits to the UK (Image: @meghan/Instagram)
"It is unlikely to be part of his expected visit in July when the Invictus Games celebrate 'One Year to Go' before Birmingham next year, as the King will not be at Balmoral at that time.
"However, if Harry and Meghan go to Portugal later in the year, where they have a home, a visit would be a possibility when he is in residence from mid-August."
However, Fitzwilliams noted that the Scottish retreat isn't to everyone's taste, adding, "Balmoral is, however, not everyone's idea of paradise.
Harry and William with their father at Balmoral in the summer of 1997 (Image: Mirrorpix)
"Harry found it to be. Diana, famously, hated it. Meghan is unlikely to warm to the idea of visiting Balmoral, its sporting activities, such as hunting and deer stalking and its outdoor ethos do not appeal."
Notably, Harry even sold his handmade hunting rifles in 2020, abandoning the sport out of deference to Meghan's strong animal rights views.
While reports suggested Meghan had "banned" him from the pursuit, their mutual friend, conservationist Jane Goodall, indicated it was Harry's own decision to stop aligning with his wife's ethical beliefs.
Meghan Markle is said to be reluctant (Image: Asanka Ratnayake, Getty Images)
It is also believed the couple received invitations to Balmoral from the late Queen Elizabeth between 2017 and 2019, which they declined. Royal commentator Fitzwilliams suggests it is far more probable that Harry would bring his children to Scotland without Meghan by his side.
He elaborated, "If Harry were ever to get close to some of his family again, he would be more sensible to do it alone and take his grandchildren with him without Meghan, at least to start with.
"King Charles would obviously be delighted to see Archie and Lili again. However, the Sussexes' recent behaviour and their recent speeches make ending the royal grift even more of a challenge. Perhaps Balmoral is the place to start to end it?"
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
