Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's children are growing up far from Buckingham Palace, but there are new reports that Prince Charles wants to spend more time with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

According to the Mirror, sources close to the King claim that he wants to be closer to his grandchildren, who are based in Montecito, California. The magazine reports that Prince Charles “has told friends that he is not satisfied with just meeting his grandchildren via video call.”

Sources also noted that the monarch has met 5-year-old Archie “just a few times” and 2-year-old Princess Lilibet “just once” and is “more eager than ever” to be more “present in their lives.”

Friends told the Mirror that the King is eager to “make up for lost time” with his children and sent “thoughtful gifts and cards” to Prince Harry's daughter on her second birthday in June.

The magazine also reported that a royal source said Prince Charles, who was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, has recently been “feeling introspective.”

Queen Camilla has had a hand in her husband's recent efforts, with the Mirror reporting that Camilla is “understood to be the driving force behind his decision to step up efforts to meet other grandchildren.”

Not surprisingly, being based in California, the monarch has not seen her youngest grandchildren very often, and Lilibet, who was born in Santa Barbara, has only been to England once, during Queen Elizabeth's platinum jubilee in 2022.

A source told the BBC at the time that it was “very emotional” and “very, very wonderful” for Prince Charles to meet his youngest grandchild.

Of course, the King sees more of Prince William and Kate Middleton's children, 10-year-old Prince George, 9-year-old Princess Charlotte, and 6-year-old Prince Louis, as they are based in Windsor. Sources call Prince Charles the “wonderful, enthusiastic grandfather” of the trio of Welsh children.

“The King is absolutely obsessed with being present in all of his grandchildren's lives,” one source told the Mirror, adding that Charles “values his family above all else.”

Also, Prince Charles' relationship with Prince Harry has been strained in recent years, but sources close to the King insist that he wants to move past that for Archie and Lilibet. One source said, “Whatever the course of his relationship with his son, the King will not be content with just having video calls with his grandson.”

One hopes that there will be a family reunion in the near future.