Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made a secret visit to the U.K. in April 2022, and it was the first time that they returned to England together since their departure from the country - and royal life - a little over two years ago.
At the time, it was widely reported that the Sussexes had met briefly with the Queen as a stop on their way to the Invictus Games in The Hague. Unbeknownst to us until now, however, was their audience with then-Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla.
A royal insider told Vanity Fair’s Katie Nicholl that Charles was adamant on seeing his youngest son and his wife “to make sure Harry wouldn’t be able to sweet-talk her the way Andrew had and get her to agree to anything without Charles’s say-so,” Nicholl writes.
Apparently, though, that particular meeting didn’t go very well. The younger couple were reportedly late, meaning that the four of them only got about 15 minutes together. They also had very different ideas as to how they would move forward amid the rift that has separated the Sussexes from the rest of the Royal Family.
“Harry went in with hugs and the best of intentions and said he wanted to clear the air,” said a family friend.
“He actually suggested that they use a mediator to try and sort things out, which had Charles somewhat bemused and Camilla spluttering into her tea. She told Harry it was ridiculous and that they were a family and would sort it out between themselves.”
Some strides have certainly been made since the Queen’s sad passing, including Prince William inviting the Sussexes on a walkabout in Windsor, then reportedly sharing a private dinner with them, plus Prince Harry’s inclusion in the Queen’s funeral proceedings. King Charles III also sent his love to Harry and Meghan in his first speech as monarch.
Still, commentators continue to report on the tensions between the Sussexes and the other royals, which are unlikely to die down until their tell-all media projects — Meghan’s Spotify podcast, Harry’s memoir, their alleged joint Netflix docu-series — are either released or cancelled.
