Inside Prince Harry and Meghan’s secret talks with Queen and Charles as it’s revealed Duke initiated meeting
PRINCE Harry was behind the “clear the air” meeting at Windsor Castle with Prince Charles and the Queen, The Sun can reveal.
The Duke of Sussex offered an “olive branch” to his father before he and Meghan arrived for secret talks.
The Duchess made a dazzling entrance at the Invictus Games in Holland yesterday.
The couple also met Camilla, sources confirmed.
An insider said of Thursday’s UK visit: “Harry contacted his father and said he wanted to meet.”
The Sussexes lit up the Invictus Games — buoyed by their secret talks.
Read more on Harry's visit
The beaming couple arrived hand-in-hand on Good Friday to meet hero competitors in Holland — their first public appearance together in Europe since Megxit two years ago.
Meghan, 40, dazzled in a white suit and matching shoes — a day after the couple’s extraordinary meeting at Windsor Castle.
The Sun can reveal the Duke of Sussex instigated the talks after offering an “olive branch” to his father — who he previously blasted for “cutting me off financially”.
Harry and Meghan met Charles at 10am on Thursday — with Camilla also present, despite reports she will be criticised in the Duke of Sussex’s forthcoming biography.
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The couple, who quit royal duty for life in the US in 2020, were then granted an audience with the Queen — but only after the Charles meeting went without a hitch.
An insider told The Sun: “Harry contacted his father and said he was coming over with Meghan and he wanted to meet.
“Harry instigated it all. It was an olive branch from Harry and made in an effort to clear the air.
“He made the approach to Charles who was obviously very happy, and accepted.
“Charles maintains that Harry is a much-loved son and is always welcome to come back and visit.
“The Queen agreed to see them both but only after he had met Charles first.
“They were travelling to Holland for the Invictus Games which is only round the corner.
“Charles wants to heal things with his son and his daughter-in-law and ultimately wants to meet his grandchildren.
“As the Queen said when Megxit was signed, they will always be a much-loved part of the family.
“By seeing the Queen before they arrived in Holland for a high-profile visit, they managed to diminish any idea they were snubbing her.
“Charles was happy to have them.”
Harry and Meghan secretly flew to Windsor on Wednesday and stayed the night at Frogmore Cottage, which they have loaned to Princess Eugenie.
He made the approach to Charles who was obviously very happy, and accepted. Charles maintains that Harry is a much-loved son and is always welcome to come back and visit.
A royal insider
After the summit, the couple flew to Holland where they were cheered yesterday by athletes at the Invictus Games, which Harry helped set up.
A Netflix crew filmed the couple arriving then went into a temporary building housing a reception for wounded soldiers who were competing this week.
The couple, holding hands, emerged into the sports campus at the Zuiderpark, in The Hague, shortly after 5.30pm local time.
Meghan walked behind her husband and they were joined by Dutch competitors and their families. She then removed her camel-coloured jacket and offered it to a mum carrying a baby.
It left her clad all in white, with an oversized £2,100 Valentino blazer, matching £1,100 flared trousers, plus a pair of £810 white Aquazzura heels.
Also on display was a £286 Sophie Lis gold pendant necklace, the £12,626 diamond Cartier earrings she wore for her wedding to Harry, a gold chain finger bracelet — plus a Cartier Tank watch worth about £4,800.
Meghan topped it off clasping a white £2,200 Valentino bag with gold clasp and gold chain.
The couple’s spectacular arrival had all the hallmarks of a royal engagement — the likes of which Harry had jettisoned when he quit to live in the US.
It saw the Duchess grin and wave at competitors standing on a terrace outside the reception, from countries including Iraq, Canada, the UK and Ukraine.
Afghan veteran Harry, who devised the Invictus Games in 2013 after seeing the Warrior Games in the US, appeared to recognise one of the athletes and called out.
Walking long enough for photographers to get pictures, they were then greeted by dignitaries at the entrance of the Nations Home pavilion.
Meghan appeared to share a joke with The Hague’s mayor Jan van Zanen and Invictus Games chairman Mart de Kruif.
Charles wants to heal things with his son and his daughter-in-law and ultimately wants to meet his grandchildren. As the Queen said when Megxit was signed, they will always be a much-loved part of the family.
A royal insider
Inside the makeshift pavilion laid on for the week-long games, the Duke and Duchess mingled with hundreds of wounded former servicemen and women.
Many of them have lost limbs and use a wheelchair but have been given an opportunity to take part in sport through the Games, which have been held four times before.
The couple were also set to meet a team from Ukraine — which was to be filmed by their Netflix team who are shooting a documentary as part of a £112million deal with the streaming giants.
They were joined last night by a four-strong film crew — although as many as a dozen were believed to be in Holland.
Yesterday was Harry and Meghan’s first public appearance together since their royal-style tour in New York last September.
The trip to the Big Apple was supposed to start an “era of visibility” for the couple who have two children — Archie, three next month, and ten-month-old Lilibet.
The Sun understands that Meghan will fly back to the States on Monday.
Before that, Meghan, who last year published her picture book The Bench, will read to children tomorrow, The Sun can reveal.
She will carry out a private reading at The British Embassy tent on the games park.
An insider said: “It is expected she will read The Bench.”
The Games are due to start tonight, with the couple attending the opening ceremony.
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Meanwhile, the Queen, who has been suffering mobility problems, is not expected to attend a royal family church service at Windsor Castle tomorrow.
Additional reporting: SARAH BULL
