Prince Harry’s Reunion With Father Was Only Possible Thanks to King Charles' New 'Secret Weapon'
After more than 19 months apart, King Charles and Prince Harry finally sat down for tea on September 10, something many royal observers had long thought impossible. And the meeting was reportedly heavy with emotions. But behind this step toward reconciliation was a new operator, a former diplomat whose influence within the royal household has been growing steadily.
That figure is Theo Rycroft, Charles’s new deputy private secretary. Until recently, a diplomat based in Paris, Rycroft, was also one half of one of Britain’s most influential power couples. The Palace sources have said he has been instrumental in smoothing channels of communication that had long been blocked, creating the conditions for Harry and his father to finally meet in London, the Scottish Daily Express reported. His ability to bridge divides appears to have been the 'secret weapon' Charles needed at this delicate juncture.
Rycroft took over the role from Chris Fitzgerald. His appointment is a major shift in Charles’s inner circle. Rycroft now works alongside Clive Alderton, Charles’s private secretary, whose reputation with Harry is far less favorable. In Spare, the Duke nicknamed Alderton 'The Wasp,' portraying him as part of a Palace system resistant to him and Meghan Markle. Alderton also sits on the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC), which Harry has accused of giving him “unjustified and inferior treatment” over security arrangements since stepping back from official duties.
As for Charles and Harry, the father and son have been estranged for years; their rift having deepened after the Duke's BBC interview this year. But Charles, still undergoing cancer treatment, is said to be determined to rebuild ties not just with his youngest son but also with his grandchildren, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4.
On September 10, Harry was spotted arriving by car at Clarence House at 5:20 pm. An hour later, he was seen departing. Buckingham Palace and the Duke’s spokesperson both confirmed that father and son had shared private tea. Though brief, the meeting was widely interpreted as a symbolic breakthrough. Following the meeting, Harry, in an interview while on his surprise trip to Ukraine, mentioned, "The focus has to be on my father," while also adding that he was definitely 'closer' to bringing his children, Archie and Lilibet, to the UK.