Inside Prince Charles' Bond With His Grandchildren
Prince Charles, is arguably one of the most controversial members of the British royal family. For many years, his personal life was entangled in a web of tabloid headlines because of his marriage to Princess Diana and decades-long affair with now-wife Camila Parker Bowles. After all, who can forget Princess Di's explosive interview with BBC in 1995 when she famously called Camila the "third person" in her marriage? It remains one of the biggest scandals in the family's history, as it is still brought up to this day, specifically after it was re-lived on the fourth season of The Crown.
But despite all the drama, the Prince of Wales has remained loyal to his mother, Queen Elizabeth II and is set to take the throne after her death. He's also been happily married to the love of his life, the Duchess of Cornwall, since April 2009, and seemingly has a good relationship with at least one of his sons, Prince William. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about Charles and Prince Harry, who admitted to Oprah Winfrey that "there's a lot to work through" with his father in March 2021 (per People).
As for his bond with his four grandchildren, Prince Charles has been described as being a "brilliant" grandfather (per Hello!). Keep scrolling to find out more about his relationship with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's son Archie Harrison.
Prince Charles' grandchildren call him 'Grandpa Wales'
Prince Charles does not open up about being a grandfather often, but he once said it's a role he takes seriously as it's very important to him. "It's a different part of your life," he said in 2013, according to The Telegraph. "The great thing is to encourage them. Show them things to take their interest. My grandmother did that, she was wonderful." The Prince of Wales added, "It is very important to create a bond when they are very young."
According to The Daily Express, Prince Charles is "affectionately known" to his grandchildren as "Grandpa Wales," a nickname associated with his royal title. In 2018, the famous royal also spoke candidly about the gift he got his grandson, Prince George, just after his birth. In the documentary, Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70, he revealed he planted trees for the future heir of the British throne. "This is George's wood," Prince Charles said (per Harper's Bazaar). "As I get older, all I really long for is to plant trees. I hope it will be quite amusing for George, as they grow up, and he grows up."
Though it seems he has a close bond with Prince William's children, it has been reported that Prince Charles wishes he had a better relationship with Prince Harry's son, Archie. "I'm sure it pains Charles that he will not have an active role in the upbringing in Archie," a source told The Mirror in 2021. Perhaps Harry's return to the U.K. can help begin to repair those rifts and rebuild Charles' relationship with Harry's growing family.