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Daily Mirror
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Real reason behind Harry and Meghan's charm offensive with King Charles revealed
Prince Harry and King Charles' most senior aides have come together for a secret meeting in a major shift towards reconciliation - and it appears to be part of a wider strategy for the Sussexes A reunion between Prince Harry and his estranged father King Charles is on the cards, and it seems there's been plenty of work behind the scenes to try and improve relations. Their teams came together for a top secret meeting last week, marking the first significant shift towards reconciliation since the Duke infuriated his family with numerous public smears against them. And it has now been revealed that the meeting between Charles and Harry's most senior aides, held at a swanky London members club, came amid a "charm offensive" by the Sussexes to transform their public image on the prince's home soil. Harry and Meghan's new chief of communications, Meredith Maines, met with Charles' communication secretary Tobyn Andreae. The secret summit was held at Royal Over-Seas League (ROSL) club, a mere stone's throw away from Clarence House, the monarch's London residence. Ironically, the members club prides itself on "championing international friendship across the world". A source told said of the meet: "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." But the Sussexes' new communications guru was already busy schmoozing UK connections before the historic meeting, as she reportedly flew in from California days before the summit for a host of meetings and events with British businesses, charities and journalists, the Daily Mail reports. Maines, who heads up Harry's household on Monetico, California, was joined by Liam Maguire, the couple's new UK PR lead, for the meetings. It has been claimed that their busy itinerary indicates a fresh plan to reinvent the Sussex image in the UK, as the couple's move to America and subsequent attacks on the royal household has left a sour taste in the mouth of many Brits. Last month, Harry and Meghan said goodbye to six members of staff in a complete overhaul of their communications team. Those who got the boot included UK-based Charlie Gipson, their director of communications in Europe, and US-based Kyle Boulia, their deputy press secretary. Another was Lianne Cashin, the former head of operations at Archewell, just weeks after she was promoted to a senior consultant and praised by sources close to the Sussexes. Also cut was Meghan Markle 's social media manager. The shake-up is thought to have come before Meghan posted her viral twerking video on Instagram to mark her daughter Lilibet's fourth birthday. There has been a notable shift in the Duchess' social media strategy since she returned to the platform, including regular photos of her children. Previously, the couple hadn't shown Archie and Lilibet's faces online but now personal family snaps are often shared by Meghan. The PR overhaul comes after Harry and Meghan were savaged by a Vanity Fair article earlier this year, which delved into their life in California and even labelled them 'local villains'. The brutal takedown also made numerous allegations of mistreatment from former staff. According to the Times, Harry and Meghan dismissed the allegations at the time, with a source close to them describing them as 'distressing'. 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 Prince 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.
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Prince Harry and King Charles Peace Hopes Rocked by Photo Leak
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Prince Harry's PR team met King Charles III's press secretary at a discreet London private members club in a glimmer of hope for reconciliation—but the trio were photographed by the tabloids. The low key summit at the Royal Over-Seas League (ROSL) came after Harry and Meghan's California-based chief communications officer Meredith Maines flew into London. She joined up with Liam Maguire, the Sussexes' U.K. based PR man, for the sit-down meeting with Tobyn Andreae, Charles' director of communications. However, a photographer for U.K. tabloid the Mail on Sunday captured images of the three royal aides sitting down for a casual drink at the ROSL, a short distance from Clarence House, Charles' London residence. Left, Prince Harry is seen in Santa Barbara, California, on March 8, 2025, and, right, King Charles III is seen during a reception at Campbeltown Town Hall, in Scotland, on July 3, 2025. Left, Prince Harry is seen in Santa Barbara, California, on March 8, 2025, and, right, King Charles III is seen during a reception at Campbeltown Town Hall, in Scotland, on July 3, Jane Barlow -Why It Matters Prince Harry has for years accused Buckingham Palace of leaking stories about him and his family so the appearance of images of three people in the papers, none of whom has a significant public profile, sparked immediate fears the embryonic peace talks could disintegrate. Not least of all, the Mail on Sunday is Harry and Meghan's least favorite British tabloid, the pair having sued it four times between them. What to Know Newsweek has been told both sides remain optimistic that a new era of greater cooperation is still on the cards. A Sussex source said the leak "was not from our side" and added that the saga had left them frustrated. They suggested there was frustration in both camps at the meeting having been made public, but, crucially they did not believe this would sink attempts to usher in a more cooperative relationship. Prince Harry's Relationship With King Charles Prince Harry signaled his desire to heal his relationship with King Charles during an interview with the BBC in May 2025. "There's no point in continuing to fight anymore," Harry said. "Life is precious. I don't know how much longer my father has. He won't speak to me because of this security stuff. But it would be nice to reconcile." The "security stuff" in question was the prince's lawsuit against the British government over the decision to strip him of his police protection team. Harry had just lost that court case at the time of the interview. It was a blow for him but the conclusion of the litigation also potentially opened up a new chance for royal peace. That was, however, complicated by the fact Harry took a swipe at his father during the same interview, suggesting the king was an obstacle to him getting his police bodyguards back: "I never asked him to intervene—I asked him to step out of the way and let the experts do their jobs." That interpretation was at odds with the government's stance in the lawsuit, that the decision fell to a senior figure within the Home Office, as well as the palace's long-standing position that the Royal Household does not decide who gets police protection. Needless to say, the latest meeting will be received as a positive sign that all is not lost, and a fragile peace is still being nurtured on both sides. There is likely, though, a long way still to go. Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page. Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@ We'd love to hear from you.
