King Charles is likely grappling with ‘sadness and regret’ as Prince Archie celebrates his 7th birthday this week – four years after he last saw his royal grandfather

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Archie turns seven on 6 May, and has not seen King Charles since summer 2022(Image: PA)

Ahead of Prince Archie’s seventh birthday on 6 May, royal experts say the occasion is another sad reminder of the disintegration of the relationship between Prince Harry and his dad, King Charles. California-based Archie and Princess Lilibet, four, last saw their paternal grandad in June 2022, during a Sussex family visit to the UK for Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

According to royal expert Duncan Larcombe, Prince Archie’s birthday highlights the estrangement between the King and his youngest son. “I think King Charles is full of regrets over the whole situation, he definitely wouldn’t have wanted it to go this way,” he tells the Mirror. “He has spoken about how much he enjoys being a grandparent.”

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The Sussex children are growing up on the other side of the world from their father’s royal family(Image: @meghan/Instagram)

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There have been glimpses of the children on social media, including during a family trip to Disneyland for Lilibet’s fourth birthday

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The King and Queen were on official business in Berlin, Germany, when the Palace announced that Archie had been “born at 05:26 on Monday, 6 May”, weighing 7lb 3oz. A statement from the monarch was posted on X by Clarence House, which said: “We couldn’t be more delighted at the news and we’re looking forward to meeting the baby when we return.”

Prince William and Kate Middleton also tweeted a light-hearted congratulatory message to their brother and sister-in-law, writing: “We’re absolutely thrilled – welcome to the Sleep Deprivation Society!”

Charles and Camilla’s state visit last week to the US did not include a reunion with Harry or his children, but could potentially have prompted some “awkward” moments for the Sussexes, royal author Richard Palmer tells us, especially given how high-profile and important the trip was.

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“I’m sure there’ll be sadness there,” he said. “And if it’s being talked about at Archie and Lilibet’s schools or nurseries, it would certainly be awkward. It’s upsetting for both the Sussexes and the King.”

Charles has often been photographed spending quality time with his UK-based grandchildren – Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 11, and eight-year-old Prince Louis – and the photograph released to mark his 70th birthday in November 2018 showed him flanked by his wife, children, and grandchildren, with George on his knee.

“It’s a different part of your life,” he once said of becoming a grandparent. “The great thing is to encourage them. Show them things to take their interest. My grandmother did that, she was wonderful. It is very important to create a bond when they are very young.”