Days after Prince Harry's private reunion with King Charles at Highgrove House, royal watchers say the real key to lasting reconciliation isn't just father and son; it's Queen Camilla.
Buckingham Palace confirmed Camilla was present for the July 10 gathering with Harry, Meghan Markle, and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, marking the family's first time together in four years. According to royal author Catherine Mayer, Camilla's presence wasn't ceremonial. "She is a non-negotiable part of Charles' life," Mayer told People. "There is no reconciliation with him without her."
That's a notable shift given Harry's public criticism of his stepmother in his memoir "Spare," in which he accused her of trading stories with the press. He's since softened his tone, telling Good Morning America in 2023 that he holds "a huge amount of compassion for her" and doesn't see her as "an evil stepmother."
Still, not everyone believes the Highgrove meeting signals a breakthrough. Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams cautioned that genuine healing will take time and quiet. "One hopes the germ of it has begun already, as the King is 77 and is battling cancer," he said, adding that future visits should happen "without a media circus" for real progress to take hold.
No photos or details from the Highgrove meeting have been released, a choice sources say was intentional. "It is better that people don't know anything about these meetings," one insider told People.
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