Queen Camilla will put King Charles III first as the royal family navigates Prince Harrys return to the U.K., royal experts told Fox News Digital.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex returned to the U.K. on Aug. 26. Their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, will begin school in Britain in September.
Royal experts believe the king, who is still receiving treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer, wants a relationship with his grandchildren. Camilla, they said, is prepared to support her husband as Harry hopes for reconciliation with his family.
Before the Sussexes return, the king met with Harry, Meghan and their children at Highgrove House on July 10. Vanity Fair royal correspondent Katie Nicholl later reported that, according to sources, “not even the Prince and Princess of Wales were made aware that the meeting was taking place.” Camilla was present.
“Camilla has weathered far bigger storms than the Sussexes 2020 move, or royal commentator Meredith Constant told Fox News Digital. “Camilla knows how to lie low when she needs to. Shes going to go through the motions and put on a good face for her husband as he works on his relationship with his younger son.”
“While Prince William and King Charles are not in lockstep over how to handle Prince Harrys return, they understand that they are a unit with their respective wives,” she said. “William wouldnt expect Camilla to take a stand against her husband anymore than Charles would expect that of Kate.”
WATCH: WHY KING CHARLES ALWAYS CAME BACK TO QUEEN CAMILLA: AUTHOR
Royal biographer Tom Bower told the Daily Mail that Camilla approached her stepson with what InStyle magazine described as “an olive branch” â a “fixed smile” before she “offered him tea.” A source told Bower the meeting was “polite with no recrimination.”
“Albeit this was indeed a polite gesture, it was merely a tiny aperture being opened, not a welcome for any full return as senior royals at all,” British royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital. “Its traditionally British to offer tea as merely a polite gesture. Camilla is dedicated to the kings health and welfare, so its not surprising.”
Royal historian Catherine Mayer told People magazine that Camilla “is a non-negotiable part of Charles life,” adding, “theres no reconciliation with [the king] without her.”
The road to reconciliation may be a lengthy one for Harry. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020, saying they faced intense scrutiny from the British press and lacked support from the palace.
After , the couple aired their grievances in interviews and documentaries. Harrys 2023 memoir, “Spare,” further strained his relationship with his family. Royal experts previously to
