Harry and Meghan reportedly accept offer to spend Christmas with the royal family at Sandringham… but are yet to receive an invite from King Charles – as insiders reveal the monarch is determined to ‘step up’ his grandfatherly duties

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could accept an invitation to spend Christmas with King Charles and the rest of the royal family at Sandringham, insiders claim, adding that they may need ‘heightened protection’ to make this happen.

The Duke of Sussex, who lives in California with Meghan Markle and their two children, Archie, 4, and Lilibet, 2, is said to have spoken to King Charles during a phone call for his father’s 75th birthday on Tuesday.

Sources said The times that the conversation could be a ‘turning point’ in the difficult relationship between the Sussexes and King Charles.

This has now been followed by suggestions that the couple would be willing to accept an invitation to spend the holidays in Britain. It was also suggested that they would also be willing to accept an invitation to Balmoral, in Scotland, over the summer.

“I can’t imagine the Sussexes would turn down an invitation to spend time with His Majesty,” a source said. The times described as a ‘friend’ to the newspaper. “There have been no invitations for the holidays yet.”

The thaw in their relationship comes after a source told the Mail on Sunday that King Charles wanted to ‘spend more time with his grandchildren’. There’s so much love in it.’

Prince Harry spoke to his father on Tuesday, it is understood, where he played a video of his two children signing Happy Birthday to the King

Sources close to the Sussexes say the security and protection of such a visit to Britain would be an issue

It is understood that another phone call between California and Britain is planned for the coming week.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle last spent Christmas at Sandringham in 2018.

Sources close to the couple suggested they would both need “heightened protection” to make any invitation happen.

In March, King Charles asked Harry and Meghan to leave Frogmore Cottage, their Windsor home. They moved completely in July.

Sources close to the couple told The Times that without a place to stay in Britain, the Sussexes would need a “formal invitation” from King Charles or Buckingham Palace to stay in a home that offers adequate protection.

Prince Harry will no longer benefit from police protection while in Britain, following a decision by the Home Office to withdraw it. The Duke of Sussex has tried to pay for the protection himself.

A legal representative told The Times that Prince Harry was ‘unable to return to his home’ because it is too dangerous. Royal family aides said accommodation for the prince is likely to be made available for short visits if requests are received.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle last spent Christmas at Sandringham in 2018, where photos of them walking with Prince William and Catherine Middleton made positive headlines

Sources suggest the Sussexes would need a ‘formal invitation’ from King Charles or Buckingham Palace to stay in a home that offers adequate protection

The Sussexes’ children, Archie and Lilibet, have spent little time with King Charles. It is said that this distance causes unrest for both sides

The revelation that the Sussexes would accept invitations to spend time with King Charles in Britain suggests they are trying to repair relationships damaged in recent years.

The Sussexes’ children, Archie and Lilibet, have spent little time with King Charles. They have never spent Christmas with their grandfather and this distance would cause unrest for both parties.

It is believed they made a video of themselves singing Happy Birthday to the King, which was shown during the phone call on Tuesday.

King Charles appears to have telegraphed a desire to be a more involved grandfather, with sources telling the Mail on Sunday that he had increased the amount of time he spent with the children of the Prince and Princess of Wales.

There were concerns that King Charles would find it difficult to find time for his grandfatherly duties after acceding to the Crown. Queen Camilla had previously described him as a practical grandfather who liked to “get down on his knees and crawl around for hours with his grandchildren.”

King Charles is said to be frustrated by the amount of personal problems that have overshadowed the royal family in recent times.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment on what it described as “private family arrangements” when contacted by MailOnline.

MailOnline has contacted Archewell, the non-profit organization founded by the Sussexes, for comment.