Hold onto your royal tea sets, because the countdown is officially ticking down for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s heavily rumored, upcoming move back to the U.K., and it is setting the stage for a family reunion five years in the making! With reports indicating the Sussexes are planning to touch down on British soil by the end of the month for an extended stay, royal watchers are buzzing with one massive question: will this finally be the moment Princess Kate and Prince William come face-to-face with their American-born niece, Princess Lilibet?

A Five-Year Gap: The History Behind the Unmet Niece and That Historic “Can’t Wait to Meet Her” Quote

If you cast your minds back to June 2021 when Princess Lilibet was first welcomed into the world across the Atlantic, the royal rift was already running ice cold. Back then, during a public engagement in the exact same month Lilibet was born, Princess Kate was pressed by journalists on whether she had already FaceTimed her newest family addition. Keeping her composure, Kate responded smoothly at the time: “No, I haven’t. No.”

She quickly followed up with a warm olive branch that has lived in royal lore ever since: “I wish her all the very best. I can’t wait to meet her, because we haven’t yet… met her yet, so hopefully that will be soon.”

Now, half a decade later, that long-awaited meeting might finally be within striking distance. According to royal author Russell Myers in his insider book, William & Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, the Prince and Princess of Wales did actually send a thoughtful gift and a congratulatory card stateside when Lilibet was born on June 4, 2021, though that friendly gesture marked the extent of their direct contact during those frosty years.

A Fleeting 2022 Jubilee Visit and the Secretive Family Dynamics

To jog your memory, Harry and Meghan did briefly bring both of their children—Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet—over to the U.K. back in June 2022 for Queen Elizabeth II’s massive Platinum Jubilee celebrations. During that whirlwind trip, a one-year-old Lilibet managed to meet her late great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, and her grandfather, King Charles, in person for the very first time. However, despite being in the same country, it is widely believed that the Sussexes and the Waleses never crossed paths or held a private meeting during the entire visit.

Divided Palace Doors: King Charles’s Open Arms vs. William and Kate’s Chilling Cold Shoulder

Now that the Sussexes are packing their bags for a major extended return, how is the rest of the royal family reacting behind closed doors? According to reports, King Charles—who has been navigating health battles since his undisclosed cancer diagnosis in 2024—was given a brief three-day heads-up before the relocation news leaked. Understandably, the 77-year-old monarch is reportedly quite pleased and welcomes the golden opportunity to spend more quality time with his grandchildren, which is undoubtedly a massive relief for Prince Harry.

On the absolute flip side, however, Prince William and Princess Kate are reportedly far from thrilled about the sudden change in scenery. Speaking on HELLO!’s A Right Royal Podcast, HELLO!’s Royal Editor Emily Nash weighed in on the tense mood at Kensington Palace, revealing: “I can’t see a world in which they would be welcoming them back with open arms. But you would anticipate that the King will have spoken to William about this if he was made aware.” Nash added that while the Waleses were given a heads-up before the general public found out—meaning they’ve had time to process the emotional shockwave—their enthusiasm for a cozy family reunion remains practically nonexistent.

As the Sussexes prepare to cross the Atlantic, the intersection of old family wounds, potential olive branches, and the possibility of Kate finally meeting Lilibet face-to-face makes this upcoming U.K. chapter one of the most anticipated royal events in years.

Source: compiled from various sources