Senior aides to the King and Prince Harry have taken the first steps towards repairing their fractured relationship by holding informal “peace talks” in London.
The meeting, held at a private members’ club near Clarence House, was an extraordinary development in the long-running estrangement between the two households.
Meredith Maines, Prince Harry’s new chief communications officer based in California, was joined by Liam Maguire, who oversees the Sussexes’ UK public relations. Representing the King was Tobyn Andreae, His Majesty’s communications secretary.
A source told the Mail on Sunday: “There’s a long road ahead, but a channel of communication is now open for the first time in years. There was no formal agenda, just casual drinks. There were things both sides wanted to talk about.”
The low-key summit took place on Wednesday at the Royal Over-Seas League, overlooking Green Park. Ms Maines and Mr Maguire arrived by taxi at 3.50pm, followed shortly by Mr Andreae, who appeared to be carrying a gift from Berry Bros & Rudd, the historic wine and spirits merchant.
The trio were seen chatting on the club’s first-floor garden terrace before moving indoors. All sides are said to recognise that rebuilding trust will take time, but the meeting was viewed as a meaningful first step.
“This was only the first step towards reconciliation between Harry and his father, but at least it is a step in the right direction,” the source added. “Everyone just wants to move on and move forward now. It was finally the right time for the two sides to talk.”
The meeting came just weeks after Prince Harry expressed his desire to reconcile with his family in a lengthy BBC interview. He revealed that his father had not spoken to him and said he did not know “how much longer the King has to live”.
“There’s no point in continuing to fight any more,” he said. “Life is precious.”
He added: “Forgiveness is 100 per cent a possibility because I would like to get my father and brother back.”
One potential opportunity for a public reconciliation is being discussed in both London and California — the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham. Prince Harry is said to have emailed invitations to Buckingham Palace, hoping the King would have sufficient notice to add the event to his schedule.
Senior palace aides are reportedly considering the proposal, aware the Games could offer a timely platform to mend bridges.
The rift between the Sussexes and the royal family opened significantly following their 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, during which they alleged a member of the family was concerned about their son Archie’s skin tone before he was born.
Then the duke claimed in his controversial memoir, Spare, his brother the Prince of Wales had physically attacked him and that the King put his own interests above Harry’s and was jealous of Meghan.
Harry’s level of security changed in 2020 when he and Meghan stepped down as working royals and moved to California for financial and personal freedom, and he suggested the royal family and officials hoped his realisation of the increased safety risk “would force us to come back”.
The duke failed in an appeal against the dismissal of his High Court claim against the Home Office, over the decision of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) that he should receive a different degree of protection when in the UK.
In a BBC television interview after losing the latest round in his court battle over his security, Harry claimed the King will not speak to him and he does not know “how much longer my father has” as he spoke of his hopes for a “reconciliation” with his family.
Charles was diagnosed with cancer in February last year.
