King Charles included Queen Camilla as a "witness" during his July 10 meeting with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at his country estate, Highgrove House, according to reports. This decision is seen as a measure to ensure an account of the proceedings, particularly in light of past revelations made by the Sussexes.
Royal writer Robert Jobson told Page Six that Queen Camilla's presence "was there for a reason" – to ensure that "everything was witnessed." He noted that "the only people who know" what transpired during the meeting were those present.
The inclusion of a witness aligns with the approach taken by the late Queen Elizabeth II, who reportedly declined to take Prince Harry's phone calls without another person present. She also allegedly prohibited the Sussexes from bringing a photographer to a meeting where they had hoped to capture images of her with her great-granddaughter, Lilibet.
Charles agreed to the meeting with his son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren—including Prince Archie, 7—reportedly to avoid future regrets. This encounter occurred at the end of a week in which Prince Harry lost a privacy case against Associated Newspapers and was denied accommodation at Buckingham Palace.
Despite these circumstances, Prince Harry, 41, managed to bring his wife and children from their holiday home in Portugal to see his father and Queen Camilla for the first time in four years. Prince Harry has previously written about his relationship with his stepmother in his memoir "Spare," detailing his and Prince William's pleas for their father not to marry her and alleging she shared information with tabloids for public relations purposes.
During a recent event, Prince Harry was overheard remarking that his father, who is undergoing treatment for an undisclosed cancer, is "doing great." He also commented that his wife and children are happy to be back in California, with the children "growing like weeds."