It's uncertain whether Queen Elizabeth currently has custody of her great-grandchildren. However, once Prince Charles becomes king, he will automatically gain custody of Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. This also extends to any future children of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. What does this guardianship involve? The monarch has a say in the children's upbringing, education, and travel plans.
To understand how this plays out, consider an example: Prince Charles once had to ask his mother for permission to take his young sons to Scotland for a few days. She approved, but when Princess Diana wanted to take her sons to Australia, the Queen denied her request. Interestingly, custody of Prince William and Prince Harry was never addressed in Charles and Diana's divorce papers because they never had legal custody in the first place.
Despite the law, the royal family tends to handle it casually. According to Marlene Koenig, once Charles becomes king, he is unlikely to override decisions made by his sons and daughters-in-law regarding their children.
Wait until you read the ending — then discover another story you won't believe.
