King Charles and Prince Harry's top aides meet in 'secret peace summit'

Secret meetings between the aides to King Charles and Prince Harry have taken place in London, it has been revealed, signalling that the first real sign that the bitter royal rift may finally be on the mend

The hush-hush talks were held at a private members' club just minutes from Clarence House, and have been tipped as a crucial “first step” in what insiders believed could be a “rapprochement process” between the estranged Sussexes and the rest of the Royal Family. It's believed the meeting took place last week, with Harry’s right-hand woman, Meredith Maines, flying in from California to meet the King’s communications chief, Tobyn Andreae, on neutral ground at the Royal Over-Seas League.

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Also in the secret meeting was Liam Maguire, who heads up the Sussexes’ UK PR team, as the trio held what one insider described as “informal drinks” in the scorching sunshine on the club’s garden terrace. A source close to the situation told MailOnline: “There was no formal agenda. But both sides came to the table ready to talk. It’s the first real channel of communication we’ve seen in years.”

It remains unclear who made the first move between the estranged father and son, but the meeting is being hailed as the clearest sign yet that both camps are keen to bury the hatchet after years of public potshots, explosive interviews, and family heartache. Maines, dressed in a sleek cream jacket, heels, and clutching a black Louis Vuitton bag, reportedly jetted back to the Sussexes’ £15 million Montecito mansion straight after the summit, where she’s believed to have given Harry a full briefing.

The King, said to be hopeful of forging a fresh bond with his youngest son and getting to know grandchildren Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four, has long been seen as the family member most open to reconciliation. The meeting comes just two months after Harry’s eye-opening BBC interview, where he claimed Charles “won’t speak to me because of this security stuff,” referring to the controversial removal of his police protection in the UK.

Harry accused the Palace of orchestrating an “old-fashioned establishment stitch-up,” heavily implying that his father could have stepped in. Despite the sting of past remarks, Charles appears ready to move on, even as the shadow of Spare, Harry’s bombshell memoir, and that infamous Oprah Winfrey interview continue to loom large.

It was Meghan’s harrowing revelations about mental health struggles during pregnancy, coupled with claims of racism from within “the Firm,” that deepened the family divide and sent shockwaves through the monarchy. Harry’s revelations of a physical bust-up with Prince William added fuel to the fire, leaving the once-close brothers estranged. At the time, the Palace issued a terse but telling response: “Recollections may vary.” However, now the winds could be shifting.

Sources revealed Harry has been reaching out to old UK confidants in a bid to orchestrate a “return from exile,” after growing disillusioned with his US-based advisors. Maines, a Silicon Valley strategist and the first-ever chief communications officer for the Sussexes, is at the helm of this royal rehabilitation campaign. She also masterminded Meghan’s Netflix project With Love, Meghan and her lifestyle brand As Ever, a sign the Sussexes are now adopting a more structured “royal-style” household even from afar.

The Mail on Sunday previously revealed Harry had invited the Royal Family to the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham, which was also seen as a peace offering and potential catalyst for rebuilding ties. But ongoing battles over his UK security continue to muddy the waters. The Duke has fiercely contested the Home Office's decision to strip his automatic protection, arguing he remains a high-risk target.

In a recent interview, Harry said: “I don’t know how much longer my father has left," before adding: "I would love reconciliation with my family. There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore.”

No comment has been issued by Buckingham Palace or Team Sussex regarding the meeting. But insiders are quietly optimistic, with a source adding: "Everyone wants to move forward. There’s still a long road ahead. But this was a start – and a good one.”