Meredith Maines, the Duke of Sussex’s chief of staff and communications director, met with Tobyn Adreae, communications secretary to King Charles, at the Royal Over-Seas League, a private members’ club located just a short walk from Clarence House.
Also present was Liam Maguire, who oversees U.K. press for Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle. The Mail on Sunday was first to report the behind-the-scenes gathering. Reportedly it involved no formal agenda but offered a rare opportunity for both sides to open a “channel of communication for the first time in years,” a source told the outlet. “There were things both sides wanted to talk about.”
The source said the meeting was only the “first step towards reconciliation between Harry and his father, but at least it is a step in the right direction.”
While there’s a “long road ahead,” the source told The Mail on Sunday, “everyone just wants to move on and move forward now. It was finally the right time for the two sides to talk.”
PEOPLE confirmed that Maines’ visit was officially tied to her routine responsibilities. In her official capacity, she was scheduled to liaise with stakeholders linked to Prince Harry’s patronages, meet with the U.K. based communications team and engage with media partners. However, the inclusion of a one-on-one with the Palace’s senior communications lead gives the trip new significance.
Buckingham Palace and a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex declined to comment when reached by PEOPLE.
The meeting comes just weeks after Harry told the BBC that the door to “reconciliation” remains open.
“I would love reconciliation with my family. There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore,” he said.
The royal family’s rift first became public in 2020 when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from their royal roles. The rift deepened with bombshell interviews, their Netflix docuseries and Harry’s best-selling memoir “Spare”.
