A sensational peace summit between King Charles and Prince Harry’s teams marks the first official step towards reconcilliation, and now Prince William’s ‘hidden role’ in the landmark meeting has been revealed
Prince Harry left royal watchers reeling earlier this year when he told the world that his father the King “won’t speak to him” whilst pleading for reconciliation in the boldest of terms.
And just two months on from the bombshell interview – which finally confirmed suspicions that he is all-but estranged from the royal fold – a slither of hope has emerged in the bitter years-long row, with the first official step towards reconcilement being made between the Palace and Sussex camps.
King Charles and Harry’s senior aides have held a secret peace summit in London, said to be the first notable step in in a ‘rapprochement process’ where broken bonds can finally heal.
The Mail on Sunday revealed that Meredith Maines, the Duke of Sussexes’ chief communications officer, sensationally flew in from LA to meet Tobyn Andreae, the King’s communications secretary, at the members-only Royal Over-Seas League club just a stone’s throw away from Clarence House, the King’s London residence. The top dog in Prince Harry’s UK PR team, Liam Maguire, was also present.
A source told the publication: “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.”
While Prince William’s team were reportedly not invited to the shock summit, experts have revealed the hidden role he will have likely played behind the scenes as the future of the monarchy.
They claim that while William is far less inclined to reconcile with his estranged brother, whom he’s reportedly not spoken to in years, the meeting would have never happened without his ‘support and understanding’.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told Mail Online: “The King would never have made these moves without William’s support and understanding. William and Catherine are the future of the monarchy.
“He has undoubtedly been furious at the way the Sussexes have behaved and undoubtedly regards Harry’s behaviour as treason of a sort. They reportedly have not spoken in over two years.’
And royal author Phil Dampier said: “The King is more anxious to patch things up than William, who I believe will never be close to his brother again.”
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 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.
It comes as the self-exiled Duke failed to meet his father during a trip to the UK in May last year due to a timetable clash between Charles’ royal garden party and an Invictus Games event.
Tensions brewed after Harry’s team released a statement at the time stating that the monarch too busy to meet up with his son – a narrative that was swiftly contested by sources close to the Palace.
It was then revealed that Charles had invited Harry to stay at Buckingham Palace during his time at home, but he declined.
A source said at the time: “I don’t know what more the King could have done. He offered Harry to stay at Buckingham Palace, but that it seems wasn’t good enough.”
The last time the Duke saw Charles was in February of last year, shortly after the King revealed his cancer diagnosis.
After Harry’s explosive BBC interview in May where he pleaded for reconciliation with his family – and claimed that some members will never forgive him – sources told the Mirror that William had no intention of speaking to his brother.
“At its very heart, for the family there is a major trust issue when even thinking about speaking to him,” a source said. “There is certainly no incentive to do so when he is so free to openly criticise and only ever present one view, being his.”
Harry and William both attended a memorial service for their mother’s brother-in-law Lord Robert Fellowes in August last year, but they did not speak to each other.
Royal experts noted just how wounded Harry seemed in the sit-down chat with the Beeb, fresh off the back of losing his latest legal challenge over the level of security he and his family are entitled to while in the UK.
The security battle was said to be a thorn in Charles’ side, as Harry lay blame firmly at the Palace’s door, claiming they held influence over the decision to strip back his taxpayer funded security when he moved to California.
Describing the court blow as a “good old fashioned establishment stitch up,” Harry spoke out for the first time about his father’s role in the security issue.
The Duke said: “I never asked him to intervene – I asked him to step out of the way and let the experts do their jobs.” He also claimed that the reason Charles “won’t speak to him” is all down to the “security stuff”.
In a move that shocked royal experts, Harry said that he did not want to fight any more, admitting he did “not know how much longer my father has”.
In April, King Charles was hospitalised due to the side effects of his ongoing cancer treatment, and it was claimed that Harry was not informed personally.
He is said to have found out like the rest of the world when he saw it on the news. It was also reported that the Duke hadn’t been informed of Charles’ prognosis.