Representatives from King Charles and Prince Harry’s households have held their first formal discussions in years, meeting at a London private members’ club in what sources describe as initial “peace talks.”
The extraordinary summit took place at the Royal Over-Seas League, a Grade I listed clubhouse near Clarence House, bringing together communications officials from both camps. Meredith Maines, the Duke of Sussex’s new chief communications officer who is based in California, attended alongside Liam Maguire, who manages the Sussexes’ UK public relations operations.
They met with Tobyn Andreae, the King’s communications secretary, in what marks a significant shift in relations between the two households after years of minimal interaction. The meeting was described as having “no formal agenda, just casual drinks,” according to a source who spoke to The Mail on Sunday.
There’s a long road ahead, but a channel of communication is now open for the first time in years,” the source revealed. “There were things both sides wanted to talk about.”
The Royal Over-Seas League, founded in 1910 and dedicated to promoting international friendship, provided a discreet venue for the sensitive discussions. Located on Park Place in St James’s, the private members’ club is just a three-minute walk from Clarence House, the King’s London residence.
Maines, who previously worked for Google, Hulu and American Idol before joining Lightspeed Venture Partners, was appointed as the Sussexes’ first chief communications officer in March. She succeeded Ashley Hansen, who left in October to launch her own communications firm with the Duke and Duchess’s support.
I’m honoured to partner with Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, to highlight the amazing work they are doing through Archewell, their broader business portfolio, and nonprofit work,” Maines said at the time of her appointment.
Andreae, a former co-deputy editor of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, has served as the King’s communications secretary since 2022. His appointment raised eyebrows given the tabloid’s contentious history with the Sussexes, who successfully sued the Mail on Sunday for libel.
The meeting comes after Prince Harry expressed his desire for reconciliation in a BBC interview in May, following his loss in a High Court security case. “I would love reconciliation with my family. There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore,” the Duke said, adding poignantly: “I don’t know how much longer my father has.”
King Charles was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in February 2024. The Duke claimed in the interview that his father “won’t speak to me because of this security stuff,” referring to his ongoing legal battle over police protection in the UK.
Sources suggest both sides recognise that significant distrust remains between the camps, but the meeting represents a willingness to move beyond the current estrangement. The informal talks opened what insiders describe as a “channel of communication for the first time in years.”
The rift between the Sussexes and the royal family widened significantly following their 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, during which they alleged a member of the family had expressed concerns about their son Archie’s skin tone before he was born. The divide deepened further with the release of Harry’s memoir “Spare” in January 2023, which contained explosive revelations about his relationships with family members.
Harry’s security arrangements changed in 2020 when he and Meghan stepped down as working royals and moved to California. The Duke failed in an appeal against the dismissal of his High Court claim against the Home Office over the decision that he should receive a different degree of protection when visiting the UK.
Looking ahead, the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham are being considered as a potential venue for public reconciliation. The Duke of Sussex is reportedly planning to send email invitations to Buckingham Palace, hoping the advance notice would allow the King to incorporate the event into his schedule.
“Harry is hopeful his father will set aside their differences to attend the Invictus Games and support veterans,” an insider told The Mail on Sunday. The royals have always been hugely supportive of Invictus and proud of what Harry has achieved in that arena. This is one olive branch from him, which might be reciprocated.”
Helen Helliwell, CEO of the Invictus Games Birmingham 2027, expressed hope that members of the royal family would attend. “They’ve been supporters of the Armed Forces. They’ve been supporters of Invictus since inception in 2014,” she told reporters.
The Games, scheduled for 10-17 July 2027, will mark the first time the adaptive sports competition for wounded servicemen and women has returned to the UK since its inaugural event in London in 2014. However, the closing ceremony coincides with Queen Camilla’s 80th birthday, potentially complicating attendance plans.
A friend of King Charles suggested to The Times that the monarch would likely attend, stating: “I think he would acknowledge it would be a good thing to go to. He would not want to look punitive.”
Prince William’s position remains less clear. Recent reports suggest the Prince of Wales has not discussed his brother in some time and is in a “healthier space” regarding the estrangement. The brothers have not been photographed together publicly since their grandmother Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September 2022.
The meeting between the households‘ communications teams represents the most concrete step towards dialogue since the family divisions became public. Whether it leads to meaningful reconciliation remains to be seen, but the willingness to engage marks a notable shift after years of silence.
Both Buckingham Palace and representatives for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been contacted for comment regarding the meeting.
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