A Royal Reunion? Harry and Charles’ Aides Meet Secretly in London in Apparent Olive Branch
Meredith Maines, Harry’s chief of staff and communications director, and Tobyn Andreae, Charles’s communications secretary, held a meeting on July 9.
Prince Harry and King Charles remain estranged despite the former’s public plea for a reconciliation. The father and son are allegedly not on speaking terms after Harry made inflammatory claims against the royal family in his many public interviews, Netflix documentary, and memoir Spare. This had led to the monarch reportedly struggling to 'trust' his ‘darling boy.’ However, now that the Duke plans on inviting his father and the royal family to the Invictus Games 2027 to be held in Birmingham, their aides recently met in London.
According to a report by the Daily Mail, Meredith Maines, Harry’s chief of staff and communications director, and Tobyn Andreae, Charles’s communications secretary, held a private meeting on July 9. The two aides were photographed along with Liam Maguire, who looks after Harry and Meghan Markle’s UK press. The meeting was held at a private members’ club, the Royal Over-Seas League. A source reported, “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.” As per the source, the meeting marked the “first step towards reconciliation between Harry and his father," which they dubbed "a step in the right direction.” According to PEOPLE, Maines was visiting London as part of her official routine duties. She was in London to meet with a communications team, stakeholders, media contacts, and senior figures connected to the Duke.
Previously, a source close to Harry had revealed his desire to invite his family to the Invictus Games 2027. The insider claimed the Prince remains hopeful his family will attend the Games, as they had previously been proud of him for it. The source said, “Invictus hopes the royal family will come along to support the wounded veterans taking part. Harry is hopeful his father will set aside their differences to attend the Invictus Games and support veterans.” The insider continued, “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.” While Harry will open the Games with his usual ceremonial speech, whether Markle will travel to the UK after losing him having lost the legal battle over taxpayer-funded security remains yet to be seen.
Ahead of a reunion, royal experts believe the Duke should apologize to his father and brother for his many bombshell claims. While they believe Charles would consider attending the Games as it honors military veterans, Prince William may reject his invitation, given the bad blood between the two brothers. Amid their rift, the sporting event is believed to be the perfect opportunity to mend ties.
