His Majesty the… Grandpa! King Charles is stepping up his duties with the children of Prince William and Princess Kate, despite his busy schedule as monarch

It’s been five years since Prince William publicly expressed his wish for his workaholic father to spend more time with his grandchildren.

Despite struggling with a monarch’s busy schedule, it seems King Charles has finally taken the hint and is stepping up his grandfatherly duties.

The Mail on Sunday can reveal that the King has spent more time in Windsor than he did as Prince of Wales, and usually visits there at weekends.

It means he is close to the Prince and Princess of Wales and his three grandchildren, who moved to Adelaide Cottage on the Windsor estate last year.

A source said: ‘Charles wants to spend more time with his grandchildren. There is so much love there.

Insiders have credited Camilla and Kate (pictured) with bringing the family together more often, but William will likely take some of the credit

‘They used to be miles away from the Waleses, but geographically they are much closer now, so he can spend more time with them, and he is very happy [of it].’

For decades, Charles spent as little time as possible at Windsor Castle, but this has changed in recent months. William and Kate would also spend less time at their country retreat, Anmer Hall in Norfolk, during their school year.

Insiders have credited Camilla and Kate with bringing the family together more often, but William will likely take some of the credit.

When asked in 2018 if his father has time to become a grandfather, William told documentary makers: ‘It’s something I’m working harder on, put it that way. I think he has time for it, but I would like him to have more time with the kids.

‘Now that he’s turned seventy, it’s a perfect time to consolidate a little bit because, as most families would do, you worry about them being around and whether their health is OK – and he’s the strongest man I know, but I want him to stay fit until he’s 95.

‘So it would be wonderful to spend more time with him at home and play with the grandchildren. Because when he’s there, he’s brilliant. But we need him there as much as possible.’

There were fears that being King would be even more difficult being a grandfather, but having just turned 75, Charles is streamlining his priorities to spend more time with George, ten, Charlotte, eight, and Louis, five.

It was feared that as king it would be even more difficult to be a grandfather, but having just turned 75, Charles is streamlining his priorities to spend more time with George, ten, (pictured behind Charles) Charlotte, eight, (left) ) and Louis, five

A source said: ‘His habit is that he goes to Highgrove [in Gloucestershire] for the weekend and will stop in Windsor on Friday.

‘That obviously makes it more possible to see his grandchildren, with whom he has an incredibly warm and precious relationship.’

Queen Camilla has previously described Charles as a hands-on grandfather who “gets down on his knees and crawls around with them for hours.” . . making funny noises and laughing’.

He even turned his beloved gardens in Highgrove into a toddler playground for Prince George. In 2015, when George was two, Charles renovated the treehouse that William and Harry once enjoyed.

The desire to be closer to the Welsh children is most likely not unrelated to the painful estrangement from his two grandchildren abroad.

Last week it was claimed that Prince Harry spoke to his father for the first time in six months and called him up to wish him a happy 75th birthday, while Archie, four, and Lilibet, two, recorded a video singing Happy Birthday.