Prince Harry and King Charles’ most senior aides have come together for a secret meeting in a major shift towards reconciliation – and it appears to be part of a wider strategy for the Sussexes
A reunion between Prince Harry and his estranged father King Charles is on the cards, and it seems there’s been plenty of work behind the scenes to try and improve relations.
Their teams came together for a top secret meeting last week, marking the first significant shift towards reconciliation since the Duke infuriated his family with numerous public smears against them.
And it has now been revealed that the meeting between Charles and Harry’s most senior aides, held at a swanky London members club, came amid a “charm offensive” by the Sussexes to transform their public image on the prince’s home soil.
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Harry and Meghan’s new chief of communications, Meredith Maines, met with Charles’ communication secretary Tobyn Andreae.
The secret summit was held at Royal Over-Seas League (ROSL) club, a mere stone’s throw away from Clarence House, the monarch’s London residence. Ironically, the members club prides itself on “championing international friendship across the world”.
A source told said of the meet: “There’s a long road ahead, but a channel of communication is now open for the first time in year. There was no formal agenda, just casual drinks. There were things both sides wanted to talk about.”
But the Sussexes’ new communications guru was already busy schmoozing UK connections before the historic meeting, as she reportedly flew in from California days before the summit for a host of meetings and events with British businesses, charities and journalists, the Daily Mail reports.
Maines, who heads up Harry’s household on Monetico, California, was joined by Liam Maguire, the couple’s new UK PR lead, for the meetings.
It has been claimed that their busy itinerary indicates a fresh plan to reinvent the Sussex image in the UK, as the couple’s move to America and subsequent attacks on the royal household has left a sour taste in the mouth of many Brits.
Last month, Harry and Meghan said goodbye to six members of staff in a complete overhaul of their communications team. Those who got the boot included UK-based Charlie Gipson, their director of communications in Europe, and US-based Kyle Boulia, their deputy press secretary.
Another was Lianne Cashin, the former head of operations at Archewell, just weeks after she was promoted to a senior consultant and praised by sources close to the Sussexes. Also cut was Meghan Markle’s social media manager.
The shake-up is thought to have come before Meghan posted her viral twerking video on Instagram to mark her daughter Lilibet’s fourth birthday.
There has been a notable shift in the Duchess’ social media strategy since she returned to the platform, including regular photos of her children. Previously, the couple hadn’t shown Archie and Lilibet’s faces online but now personal family snaps are often shared by Meghan.
The PR overhaul comes after Harry and Meghan were savaged by a Vanity Fair article earlier this year, which delved into their life in California and even labelled them ‘local villains’. The brutal takedown also made numerous allegations of mistreatment from former staff.
According to the Times, Harry and Meghan dismissed the allegations at the time, with a source close to them describing them as ‘distressing’.
Harry is due to head back to the UK in September for the annual WellChild events, an opportunity which could see him reunite with his dad for the first time in 18 months. But Prince William doesn’t appear to have any plans to see his brother, despite the peace talks.
It is understood that the historic meeting did not cover Harry returning to a formal royal role, but both teams discussed avoiding any media clashes and conflicts in the calendar.
