The communications head for King Charles took the reins at a covert peace summit with Prince Harry’s team, says a body language expert.
Top aides from both sides convened at an exclusive London club to discuss the strained relationship between father and son, with insiders hinting that the meeting was a “significant” stride towards mending fences. Two of Prince Harry’s advisors – Meredith Maines, his chief of staff in Montecito, and Liam Maguire, who oversees the Sussexes’ UK PR efforts – were seen sitting at a table with the King’s communications secretary, Tobyn Andreae.
Palace insiders emphasized that there was “no formal agenda, just casual drinks” at the Royal Over-Seas League. However, after years of friction, speculation is rampant about the topics they broached. Insiders have said that finding a resolution to the ongoing feud was discussed, along with issues like avoiding scheduling conflicts that could overshadow each other.
Body language guru Judi James suggests that their public appearance outside the posh club, situated in bustling central London, had a somewhat humorous effect. “There is a hilarious body language moment during these ‘secret’ peace talks where the trio affect the look of a small group of Wildebeests startled by a stalking lion,” she said.
Sporting a sleeveless cream jacket and high heels, Ms Maines made her entrance at the club via taxi with Mr Maguire at 3.50pm on Wednesday. Shortly after, Mr Andreae showed up solo, reportedly toting a present wrapped by Berry Bros and Rudd – officially purveyors to the Royal Family since the 18th century.
The trio was seen engaging in conversation while sipping drinks under the sunny sky on the club’s terrace with views of Green Park. The Mail on Sunday snapped shots of Mr Andreae, clad in a beige suit, sporting a look of dissatisfaction as he peered in the direction of the camera.
“Andreae wears the frown of apparent annoyance as he seems to have spotted the camera, with his right hand gripping the arm of his chair to hint at irritation,” observed Judi.
Body language expert Judi theorizes the group wasn’t looking for privacy, telling the Mirror, “In another picture, presumably before the camera had been ‘spotted’, there is no sign of a furtive huddle and interestingly no sign of drinks on the table or cigarettes, which is often the urge that prompts celebrities to get ‘smoked out’ of nightclubs and bars and into the waiting lenses of the paparazzi.”
Digging deeper into the photos, Judi interprets that during this gathering, the King’s communication secretary seemed to take charge.
“In this second pose it’s Andreae’s body language that suggests a sense of relaxed higher status, sitting slumped back in his seat with his legs splayed and one hand on the table, seeming to be speaking while the others listen,” she remarked.
Meanwhile, the two aides from Prince Harry’s entourage displayed more subdued body language, mirroring each other with passive stances, noted the body language expert. The expert observed that Maguire took on a more observational role, watching Andreae, while Maines, with her hands neatly folded in her lap and leaning forward, adopted what was described as a “lower status pose.”
It remains a mystery who initiated the high-level meeting. The British Royal family has been navigating the tumultuous aftermath of Harry’s marriage to former actress Meghan Markle, especially after the couple’s public criticisms and their decision to step back from being senior royals.
In a revealing May interview with the BBC, Harry expressed his desire for reconciliation with the Royal Family, lamenting that the King “won’t speak to me because of this security stuff.”
He was alluding to the loss of his automatic police protection in the UK, which he labeled an “old-fashioned establishment stitch-up” hinting that his father might have intervened to rectify the issue.
During the same interview, the Duke candidly remarked, “I would like to get my father and brother back.”
The release of Harry’s memoir, “Spare,” reportedly pushed his brother William to the brink, as it aired private grievances including an alleged physical altercation between the siblings over Harry’s relationship with Meghan.
Sources now suggest that a “rapprochement process” could mend the long-standing rift within the Royal household, but this hinges on Harry ceasing to use “endless rounds of broadcast interviews as his only way of communication”.
A palace insider revealed to the Mirror, “The King has consistently shown he loves both his sons and as he has done in the past is prepared to meet Harry when their diaries allow such an occasion.
“It’s not unusual for aides from different households to meet, especially when there is a new influx of staff starting their roles, but of course this is a significant moment. Senior members of the family have in the past said to Harry that he must both stop his attacks on the family as well as giving endless rounds of broadcast interviews as his only way of communication.
“If there is a period of calm and reflection on the part of the Duke of Sussex, then there may be a way forward for him to begin along the road of repairing his relationship with his father. As for his relationship with his brother, that is a different matter entirely and one which he will find much harder to repair.”