As King Charles includes photo of Meghan & Harry in Coronation programme, a look at his relationship with her

Although Meghan Markle will not be in attendance at one of the most momentous occasions in her father in law, King Charles’s life, the coronation, the simple inclusion of a photograph of the couple in the official Coronation souvenir programme has been seen by many as an ‘olive branch’ by the monarch to the couple. 

The photograph is not a new one, and was taken by royal photographer Chris Jackson to mark the 70th birthday of King Charles (then the Prince of Wales) in 2018. It was taken at Clarence House and shows King Charles (with Prince George on his lap) and Princess Charlotte sitting next to Camilla, whilst standing behind is Kate Middleton (holding Prince Louis), stood next to Prince William. Prince Harry is standing between Prince Wiliam and Meghan Markle, who is seen laughing. 

Although Meghan Markle is not attending King Charles’s coronation, it is thought that she is still keen for her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet to have a good relationship with their grandfather (particularly because she has had a difficult and estranged relationship with her own father, Thomas Markle). 

According to Page Six, “Meghan doesn’t want any more rifts. She wants her children to know their grandfather, Charles, particularly when they are not going to know their other grandfather (Markle’s long-estranged father, Thomas Markle). 

When it comes to her decision not to attend the coronation, Page Six reveals that Meghan “hopes her decision will be seen as an unselfish one, as it was best to keep the attention on His Majesty.”

Although there has been a lot of fallout from Prince Harry’s memoir Spare, particularly when it comes to his relationship with King Charles and Prince William, King Charles is believed to have always thought warmly towards Meghan Markle. 

According to The Mirror, “Meghan Markle is said to have impressed King Charles III with how intelligent she was when she first met the Royal Family." Royal author Robert Jobson believes the Duchess of Sussex "captivated’ her now father-in-law with her ‘intelligence" before the bitter feud that has seen Meghan and Prince Harry move stateside and give up their royal duties.”

Nobody can of course forget Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding day when King Charles (instead of Thomas Markle) walked her down the aisle. In the Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan, Meghan Markle discussed asking King Charles. “Harry’s dad is very charming and I said to him, ‘I’ve lost my dad in this. So him as my father-in-law is very important to me,” Meghan recalled. “So I asked him to walk me down the aisle and he said ‘yes’.”

As anyone who has walked a bride down the aisle will tell you, being asked is considered a huge honour. For King Charles to be asked by Meghan to carry out what is traditionally seen as a ‘father of the bride’ tradition must have deeply touched him. 

Although Prince William’s relationship with Prince Harry is considered still very fractious and it is likely that there will be no reconciliation between the pair at the consideration, King Charles is said to be more ‘forgiving’ and is reported to have had peace talks with Prince Harry which led him to agree to attend the coronation.

Despite Prince Archie’s fourth birthday taking place on the same day as his coronation, hopefully King Charles will have enough time to spend time with his youngest son during the day, which in turn, might lead to improved relations between the pair. 

Although King Charles will not be present at Prince Archie’s fourth birthday celebrations, perhaps Meghan’s decision not to attend and detract from his coronation, will lead to a renewed relationship between the couple and the monarch? Only time will tell…