Royal peace talks begin without the Prince of Wales, as tensions between brothers remain at a breaking point
As King Charles opens the door to a possible reconciliation with Prince Harry, it's clear that one royal remains firmly out in the cold: Prince William.
According to reports, a behind-the-scenes meeting — dubbed a “secret peace summit” — took place in London between the King's communications secretary, Tobyn Andreae, and two key members of Harry's team: his chief of communications, Meredith Maines, and UK PR head, Liam Maguire.
“There’s a long road ahead, but a channel of communication is now open for the first time in years,” a source told The Mail on Sunday. "There was no formal agenda, just casual drinks. There were things both sides wanted to talk about."
The Sun reported that the meeting went ahead with Harry's blessing. While the Duke of Sussex is said to be hopeful for a reunion with his ailing father, he reportedly has no desire to engage with Prince William, with whom he shares a deeply strained relationship.
Although Buckingham Palace has acknowledged the need to “open a channel of communication,” there has been no contact between Harry's team and that of the Prince and Princess of Wales. No invitations for a direct meeting were extended.
Harry is expected to return to the UK in September to attend the WellChild Awards. However, sources confirmed he has no plans to meet with his brother during the visit.
According to The Daily Beast, a friend of Prince William expressed the extent of the animosity, bluntly stating that the heir to the throne “absolutely f–king hates Harry” — particularly after recent events that have widened the rift.
The feud between the brothers is believed to have begun around the time of Harry's wedding to Meghan Markle in 2018. It escalated further in 2020 when the Sussexes stepped down from senior royal duties and relocated to the United States.
The relationship deteriorated rapidly following their explosive interviews, the Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan, and Harry's controversial memoir Spare — in which personal and damaging allegations were made, including criticisms of William and his wife, Catherine.
William was reportedly incensed by the way his wife was portrayed and viewed his brother's actions as a betrayal for commercial gain.
Once famously close following the death of Princess Diana, the brothers now have no direct communication and appear further apart than ever. While King Charles may be taking cautious steps toward rebuilding his relationship with Harry, the future of the once-close bond between his sons remains uncertain.
