May 6th might have been the most important day in King Charles III‘s life. It was also his grandson, Archie‘s birthday.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s son celebrated his 4th birthday on Sunday.
Multiple sources confirmed for the odd reason of being “too young,” King Charles decided not to invite his biracial grandchildren — Archie and Lilibet — to the social event of the decade.
Note that King Charles and his sister, Princess Anne, were the exact same ages as Archie and Lilibet when they attended Queen Elizabeth II‘s coronation.
There are many pictures and videos of Princess Anne and King Charles running around and using their mother and grandmother’s long capes to play hide and seek.
After King Charles opted not to have Meghan Markle’s children at the massive celebration, Prince Harry negotiated the following terms in order for him to accept the invitation.
King Charles agreed to give a little toast in honor of Archie’s birthday during the Royal Family lunch that was held immediately after the coronation ceremony.
There was a lot of fussing and confusion about the toast in the days leading to the coronation.
Staffers from Buckingham Palace briefed the media saying that King Charles would not honor his grandson with a toast if Prince Harry failed to attend the family gathering.
Prince Harry left the UK seconds after the coronation ceremony was over; King Charles nonetheless decided to keep his word and delivered a little speech before the fancy meal.
King Charles’s words about Archie were grim and painful, according to those seated at the royal table.
His Majesty was said to be sad as he looked around him and realized that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle declined his invitation to join the family lunch.
Via the Daily Mail, it was revealed that King Charles paid homage to his son and daughter-in-law with a few words.
The media outlet shared: “It is understood that an invitation had been politely extended to Harry to join the family lunch, but he decided to return to California to celebrate Archie’s big day. A well-placed source said that while most members of the Royal Family ‘breathed a sigh of relief’ that Harry didn’t join them, the King, 74, seemed ‘genuinely quite disappointed that he didn’t stay. But he made a point of also toasting ‘those that weren’t there’ and wished his other grandson a very happy birthday ‘wherever he was.”
The King raised a glass to his three grandchildren Prince George — who also served as a Page of Honour — Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
The lunch was attended by Prince William, Kate Middleton, her parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, and siblings Pippa and James.
Queen Camilla invited her entire family, including her sister, Annabel, her children Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes, and her five grandchildren, Lola, Freddy, Eliza, Louis, and Gus, and her best friend, Lady Lansdowne, to the gathering.
