Inside Buckingham Palace, King Charles III’s calendar has quietly narrowed. At 76, the monarch continues cancer treatment, with medical appointments now shaping much of his royal schedule.
Palace sources describe his condition as serious, a shift that has placed questions of health and longevity closer to the center of royal life than at any point in his reign.
As Christmas 2025 approaches, those closest to Charles say he has grown more reflective about time, family, and responsibility. The weeks ahead may determine how long duty and treatment can realistically coexist.
Three Years Apart
Prince Harry’s children—Archie, six, and Lilibet, four—have not seen their grandfather King Charles in person since the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June 2022.
The three-year separation represents the longest period without direct contact between Charles and his youngest grandchildren. This absence has weighed heavily on the monarch, according to sources.
Harry and Meghan have remained in California, citing security concerns as the primary reason for not returning to the United Kingdom. The estrangement now defines the royal family’s most visible modern rift.
The Security Question
In 2020, when Prince Harry stepped down as a senior royal and relocated to North America with Meghan Markle, he lost automatic taxpayer-funded police protection. The decision remained contested for years.
Harry has consistently argued he cannot safely bring his family to British soil without equivalent security arrangements. The U.K. government initially rejected his appeals.
Courts upheld the modified security status through multiple legal challenges spanning 2020 to 2025. This bureaucratic stalemate has become the central obstacle to any family reunion.
Momentum Shifts
In September 2025, Charles and Harry reunited at Clarence House during an unannounced visit—their first in-person meeting in roughly eighteen months. Multiple sources described the encounter as “sincere and uplifting,” signaling a thaw in their fractured relationship.
People magazine reported it as a “massive step forward.” The meeting rekindled hope that the broader family estrangement might finally yield.
However, a critical obstacle remained: Harry refused to bring Meghan and the children without confirmed security guarantees. The question of whether Christmas 2025 could bring them together hinged on one decision.
The January 2026 Verdict
On December 8, 2025, the U.K. Home Office announced a comprehensive security review of Prince Harry’s threat level. The Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC)—the government body responsible for assessing protection for dignitaries—ordered a comprehensive assessment, gathering evidence from the police, Harry’s security team, and government intelligence agencies.
A decision is expected by January 2026, roughly one month away. This review represents the first complete reassessment of Harry’s security since 2020.
The timing is crucial: if positive, it could enable a last-minute Christmas reunion with Charles and his grandchildren.
The Royal Household Waits
Palace sources told Us Weekly in December 2024 that King Charles is treating this Christmas as potentially his “last,” framing the holiday with unusual emotional weight. Staff at Buckingham Palace have noted the shift in tone surrounding the season.
Charles plans to attend St. Mary Magdalene Church on Christmas morning—a tradition he has maintained—and will record his annual Christmas address, which reaches approximately five million viewers in the United Kingdom alone.
These public appearances will proceed, but privately, the household is braced for uncertainty about whether his grandchildren will join him.
The Children’s Distance
Archie and Lilibet have grown up largely without direct knowledge of their grandfather. Archie, born in 2018, was only three when he last saw Charles at the Jubilee. Lilibet, born in 2021, has met Charles perhaps twice in her life.
Royal insiders describe Charles as “desperate to spend precious time with Archie and Lilibet” and eager to establish a real relationship before it is too late.
Harry, too, reportedly wants his children “to know their grandfather” and to experience the place where he grew up. Yet logistics, protocol, and security have made even a brief visit nearly impossible for five consecutive years.
Security Review Details Emerge
The RAVEC review is examining threats specifically tied to Harry’s profile as a former senior royal living abroad. A known stalker reportedly came within feet of Harry during his September 2025 U.K. visit, an incident cited by security officials as evidence of ongoing danger.
Police have compiled threat assessments; Harry’s private security firm has submitted risk analyses; government intelligence has contributed classified threat briefings.
The committee will weigh whether Harry’s family can visit the U.K. with private security supplemented by state protection, or if Harry’s threat level remains too high for a safe visit. This technical decision now determines whether a dying grandfather’s final Christmas wish is granted.
The Broader Royal Precedent
The standoff between Harry and the Crown represents an unprecedented modern example of royal politics. Never before have the grandchildren of a reigning monarch been effectively kept away due to security concerns tied to family policy disputes.
The situation has garnered international media attention and drawn critical scrutiny from both sides. Some observers argue the government should prioritize family over protocol; others contend security assessments must remain independent of royal sentiment.
The outcome of the January 2026 review will set a precedent for resolving future disputes between royalty and state security infrastructure.
Charles’ Health Timeline
King Charles was diagnosed with cancer in early 2024. The diagnosis was initially described as non-melanoma skin cancer; additional cancers were later identified in other areas. Palace officials have provided limited detail about his prognosis or treatment trajectory.
In recent statements, insiders have described his health as “not at its best,” with staff “taking it day by day.” Unlike previous monarchs who have managed chronic conditions while reigning, Charles’ visible energy levels have noticeably declined.
Medical experts note that at seventy-six, with an active cancer diagnosis, time becomes a measurable commodity—a reality that has plainly shaped his Christmas priorities.
Palace Tension and Duty
Within the royal household, tension exists between Charles’s personal desire to see his grandchildren and his obligation to fulfill public duties and protocol.
Some advisors have reportedly urged him to focus on recovery and ceremonial obligations, while others believe a family reunion would provide emotional support.
Charles has chosen to honor both: he will deliver his Christmas address and attend church, but also make time for any reunion the security review might enable. This balancing act reflects his lifelong commitment to duty, even as mortality forces him to reconsider what truly matters.
Harry’s Resilience and Determination
Prince Harry has spent five years fighting for his family’s security and right to return to the U.K. He has pursued legal action, given media interviews, and documented threats in public and private forums. His determination reflects both paternal protectiveness and a desire for reconciliation with his father.
Harry has repeatedly stated he “cannot see a world” in which he brings Meghan and the children to Britain without adequate protection.
This principled stance—refusing to compromise on his family’s safety—has been unwavering, even as it has prolonged the separation.
Meghan’s Role in the Picture
Meghan Markle, Harry’s wife, has remained largely out of direct public commentary on the security dispute but has supported Harry’s position that family safety cannot be negotiated. She has not visited the U.K. since 2022.
Their two children have had virtually no recent contact with their British family. If the security review approves a visit, Meghan would need to agree to return for what could be Charles’ final Christmas.
Sources suggest she would prioritize Harry’s desire for reconciliation, but remains cautious about the climate surrounding a high-profile visit.
The Expert View on Timing
Security experts and royal analysts have noted that the January 2026 timeline is extraordinarily tight. A positive security decision would require Harry to arrange flights, logistics, and time away from California with minimal notice.
If the review approves protection but imposes conditions or restrictions, negotiations could extend into January. Experts caution that even a favorable outcome may not guarantee a visit occurs before Christmas.
The mathematical reality—that a decision is expected after the holiday—means Charles may not see his grandchildren this year, regardless of the outcome of the review.
What a Reunion Would Mean
If Harry, Meghan, Archie, and Lilibet do return to the U.K., even briefly, it would represent a watershed moment for the royal family. Charles would finally have extended time with his youngest grandchildren.
Harry and Charles could deepen their September reconciliation beyond a single visit. The children would experience their British heritage and royal family directly.
For Charles, the emotional and spiritual significance would be immense—a realization of his most urgent current wish. Yet uncertainty remains about whether this scenario will actually unfold, or whether the January decision will come too late.
Policy Implications for Future Royals
The Harry case has exposed vulnerabilities in how the U.K. government handles security for non-working royals. It has also highlighted tensions between the state security apparatus and the royal family’s wishes.
Future decisions about Harry’s security, or precedents set by this case, could reshape how protection is allocated to other royals living abroad or stepping back from official duties.
Policymakers are watching the outcome closely. The January 2026 decision may not only affect Charles’ Christmas but also establish frameworks for decades of future royal-government negotiations.
International Ripple Effects
The estrangement between Harry and the Crown has drawn attention across Commonwealth nations and allied countries. Canada, where Harry and Meghan spent time early in their relocation, has offered its own commentary on the security debate.
The American media has framed the dispute as emblematic of Harry’s broader alienation from his family and the institution. The case has become a cultural touchstone for discussions about family, duty, and modern monarchy.
How it resolves—especially if a reunion occurs or fails to occur—will resonate internationally and shape public perception of both Harry and the Crown.
Legal Precedent and Rights
The security review operates within a complex legal framework. In 2023, British courts declined to overturn the Home Office’s 2020 decision to strip Harry of automatic protection. However, they acknowledged the government’s duty to reassess periodically.
The current review is partly an outcome of that judicial guidance. The decision, expected in January, will either affirm the previous ruling or overturn it—potentially opening pathways for Harry to access state security when visiting the UK.
Either outcome carries legal weight for future similar cases and establishes precedent for how courts balance royal family interests against state security protocols.
The Mortality Question
Charles’ cancer diagnosis has forced the entire family to confront an uncomfortable reality: time is finite. At seventy-six, with an active diagnosis, the King has entered a phase of life where “next year” or “eventually” is no longer sufficient planning.
This existential shift has reordered his priorities in visible ways. His emphasis on Christmas as potentially his “last,” his eagerness for a reunion, and his determination to deliver his address all reflect a man conscious of mortality.
Regardless of what the January security decision brings, Charles has already demonstrated that reconciliation with his son and grandchildren now takes precedence over protocol.
What Comes Next?
The coming weeks will test whether bureaucracy can bend to accommodate a dying grandfather’s deepest wish. The January 2026 security review represents the last formal opportunity for policy to align with family needs.
If it fails, the estrangement will have persisted through the entire reign so far, with uncertain prospects for future reconciliation.
If it succeeds, it will demonstrate that even a monarchy can privilege love over protocol. Either way, Charles has already made his choice: family now matters more than tradition. The question is whether the institution can catch up before time runs out.
Sources:
Us Weekly – December 2024 – “Charles is treating this Christmas as ‘a special last Christmas'”
Cosmopolitan – December 4, 2025 – “King Charles Is Preparing for This Christmas to Be His Last”
New Idea – December 21, 2025 – “King Charles’ long-awaited joy: Harry free to bring his kids”
BBC – Various dates – Royal reporting and court filings context
Hello! Magazine – December 7, 2025 – “Prince Harry’s UK security arrangements under review in Home Office”
Yahoo Entertainment – December 8, 2025 – “Prince Harry Wins U.K. Security Review, Paving Way for Reunion”