The King's Christmas - HOW HE'LL SPOIL THE GRANDKIDS

For Charles, this festive season is all about the children - and presence!

- Judy Kean

He's a workaholic who is now busier than ever thanks to his role as King. But Charles III has been making an effort to put precious time aside to spend with his grandchildren.

As dedicated as he is to the job he was born to do, he realizes the importance of creating a strong bond with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, and that's delighting their parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales..

But being more of a hands-on granddad to his oldest three grandchildren is a sad reminder that he barely knows the two youngest, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. He's had very little to do with them, thanks to the children being raised in the United States and the rift in his relationship with their parents, Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. A video of Archie, four, and Lilibet, two, singing Happy Birthday to him for his 75th in November was a reminder of what he's missing.

Charles is hoping he will get to know them better, says a palace source, but in the meantime, he's focusing on quality time with George, 10, Charlotte, eight, and Louis, five.

The insider explains that it's easier for His Majesty to see the Wales youngsters now they are living in Adelaide Cottage, on the Windsor estate. They previously spent a lot of time at Anmer Hall in Norfolk - a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Windsor so he couldn't see them often.

Now the Windsor estate is their primary home, the King - who divides his time between his London residence, Clarence House, and his Gloucestershire home, Highgrove - makes a point of going there on Fridays to visit them.