Prince Harry ‘set for peace summit with King Charles’ – but won’t be meeting William
Prince Harry and King Charles could be ready to reconcile following a meeting between their aides.
The Duke of Sussex hasn’t seen his father in about 18 months, after a major rift opened up in the Royal Family following Harry and wife Meghan Markle’s decision to step back as working royals, and the release of his autobiography, Spare.
Their estrangement was further cemented after the Duchess of Sussex mentioned in an interview with Oprah Winfrey that a member of the royal family had asked about their son Alfie’s skin colour before he was born.
Photos published at the weekend showed the King and Queen’s director of communications Tobyn Andreae with Meredith Maines, chief communications officer for Harry’s charity Archewell, and its UK and Europe communications manager Liam Maguire.
They met on the balcony of the members-only Royal Over-Seas League club, not far from Buckingham Palace, and Harry is said to have ‘given his blessing’ for the talks.
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The meeting was held to discuss avoiding media and calendar clashes, The Sun reports – but with Harry due back in the UK in September to attend a WellChild event, it’s thought he could also visit his father.
They also spoke about potential ways to end the family conflict, it’s been reported, though it still doesn’t look like the Duke and Duchess returning to royal duties is on the cards.
Both Harry and Charles are said to be keen to reconcile, MailOnline reports, especially after the king was diagnosed with cancer, for which he is still receiving treatment.
A source said the meeting between aides was the ‘first step towards reconciliation between Harry and his father, but at least it is a step in the right direction’.
The source added: ‘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.’
But as none of Prince William’s team were involved in the face-to-face meeting at the weekend, it seems unlikely the brothers are set to reconcile any time soon.
Buckingham Palace has declined to comment, while representatives for the Sussexes did not respond.
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