At 76, King Charles may be a monarch, but he’s also a grandfather—and like many others, he’s feeling the ache of distance from the ones he loves.

His grandchildren, Archie (5) and Lilibet (3), live thousands of miles away in California with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. According to royal expert Jennie Bond, King Charles has only seen them a handful of times. The emotional gap, fueled by physical distance and ongoing family tensions, has taken a toll on him.

Though royal life is filled with tradition and duty, it doesn’t shield anyone from the pain of missing family milestones. Charles reportedly wants nothing more than to build a closer bond with Archie and Lilibet—but between strained relationships and an ocean in the way, it hasn’t been easy.

It’s a quiet, deeply personal struggle for the King—one that many grandparents know all too well. Behind the crown, he’s simply a grandfather who misses his grandkids and hopes for the chance to be part of their lives.

Whether time will heal the family rift remains uncertain. But one thing is clear: Charles’s love for his grandchildren runs deep, and he’s holding onto hope for a stronger connection in the future.