The recent private meeting between Prince Harry’s aides and a member of King Charles’ team appeared to be an olive branch after years of estrangement between the father and son. However, Prince William didn’t have a representative at the gathering, prompting questions about what he knew.

On July 9, Meredith Maines, the Duke of Sussex’s chief of staff and communications director, and Liam Maguire, the Sussexes’ U.K. spokesperson, met with Tobyn Andreae, King Charles’ communications secretary. The informal sit-down, which took place at the private members’ club Royal Over-Seas League in London, was first reported by The Mail on Sunday.

“It was a good first step,” an insider told PEOPLE exclusively. “It is always better to be talking.”

According to new reports, Prince William and Kate Middleton were unaware of the meeting — underscoring the ongoing strain between the brothers.

“It’s no coincidence that William and Catherine did not have a representative at the Royal Over-Seas League,” a friend reportedly told the Daily Mail. “They were not asked to send anyone and will be treating the talks with extreme caution.”

The friend added, “The fact that it ended up in the newspapers tells you all you need to know.”

However, sources told The Telegraph that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were “frustrated” that the meeting was leaked to the press, adding that they were “not responsible” and recognized it was “not an ideal way” to begin communication.

Although Prince William didn’t have a representative at the meeting, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams doubts that the Prince of Wales was completely unaware of the talks.

“The King would never have made these moves without William’s support and understanding. William and Catherine are the future of the monarchy,” he told the Daily Mail.

A representative for the Prince and Princess of Wales declined PEOPLE’s request for comment.

The rift between Prince Harry and his family first became public in 2020 when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from their royal roles. Tensions deepened as Harry and Meghan spoke out against the royal family in revealing interviews, their Netflix docuseries and Harry’s memoir, Spare.

Last year, sources told PEOPLE that Prince Harry’s attempts to get in contact with King Charles and Prince William went ignored. But a royal insider said that while the rift between the brothers — who reportedly haven’t spoken in two years — is “very bad,” it’s not “irreparable.”

In a June piece published by The Sunday Times tied to Prince William’s 43rd birthday, reporter Roya Nikkhah claimed William’s ire at Harry has settled into indifference.

A friend of William’s told the outlet, “What has struck me the most recently is that he just doesn’t mention it at all. It used to be that the family stuff was taking up a lot of space in his head; it was a very close relationship, and he was very upset. But he’s not letting it get to him at all anymore. It is a change. It’s sad, but it’s a much healthier space for him to be at.”

The meeting between Harry and the King’s aides came just weeks after the Duke of Sussex told the BBC that he would “love reconciliation with my family.”

“There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore,” he said, adding, “I don’t know how much longer my father has,” referencing King Charles’ cancer diagnosis and ongoing treatment.

Some close to the palace have downplayed the long-term effects of the meeting, framing it as a professional exchange between communications staff who simply need to understand one another. Still, with Prince Harry and King Charles’ direct communication reduced to near silence — according to the Duke of Sussex — the meeting may have marked a tentative reopening of lines between father and son.

“It’s a positive step,” the insider says. “There’s optimism that it can be taken forward.”

Prince William’s Hilarious Take on Prince George’s Birthday Gifts Resurfaces as He Turns 12

The Prince of Wales was very direct about his thoughts on gifts for his eldest son

Prince George just celebrated his 12th birthday, and his father, Prince William, once shared a memorable take on gifts for his son!

The eldest child of Prince William and Kate Middleton turned 12 on July 22, marking the occasion with a new official portrait released by his parents and a quiet celebration during summer break from school. The milestone also brought to mind a funny moment William shared years ago about George’s birthday.

In July 2016, just two days after Prince George’s third birthday, William and Kate attended the America’s Cup World Series in Portsmouth. While there, William struck up a conversation with a 10-year-old boy named Zak Kay, who asked what kind of gifts George had received for his special day.

“What did he get for his birthday? I’m not telling,” Prince William said then. “He got too many things. He’s far too spoilt. He’s not into boats yet.”

Prince William’s unexpected take reflected the down-to-earth ethos that palace insiders have told PEOPLE he and Kate are prioritizing as they raise their kids in the royal spotlight. Prince George follows his father William as second in line to the throne, meaning that there’s extra emphasis on his destiny ahead.

“It’s a massive balancing act,” a palace insider previously told PEOPLE about the couple’s outlook on raising George as future king. “William and Kate are doing the right thing, protecting him so he can have as normal a childhood as possible, but he’s also dipping into duties as a future monarch.”

“He’s getting firsthand experience of what it’s like to be a royal and a monarch and firsthand experience of being a normal boy,” the insider added.

Prince George and Princess Charlotte were recently treated to a fun day out at the Wimbledon Championships with Prince William and Princess Kate, where they watched the men’s singles final from the front row of the Royal Box and met winner Jannik Sinner behind the scenes.

On George’s July 22 birthday, William and Kate released a new portrait of their eldest son, continuing a tradition that began when he was a baby.

The snap credited to photographer Josh Shinner showed him smiling and resting his arms on a fence outdoors, showing off some personal style with a friendship bracelet!

Soon after, the Prince and Princess of Wales dropped a video which appeared to have been filmed during the photo session, which also yielded Prince Louis’ 7th birthday portrait and Prince William’s Father’s Day picture with his kids.

Kate Middleton and Prince William’s New Instagram Video Contains a Subtle Nod to Prince George’s Birthday

Eleven years ago, William and Kate visited a special exhibit at the Natural History Museum in London just before George celebrated his first birthday

Prince George didn’t appear in Kate Middleton and Prince William‘s latest social media post, but the video called back to the young royal’s first birthday photos.

On July 18, the Prince and Princess of Wales’ joint social media pages on Instagram and X shared a short, serene video showing butterflies in nature. The post promoted the Big Butterfly Count, a U.K.-wide survey from the Butterfly Conservation asking residents to record how many of the insects they see in 15 minutes to help determine the health of the environment.

“Today marks the start of the #BigButterflyCount! 🦋🌿,” the video caption read. “From now until 10th August, join thousands across the U.K. in spotting and recording butterflies to help protect these vital pollinators. It only takes 15 minutes to do in any green space from your local park, garden or balcony!”

The video was reminiscent of a butterfly outing that Prince William and Princess Kate, both 43, made 11 years ago ahead of their eldest son’s first birthday. In July 2014, the couple brought Prince George to the Sensational Butterflies exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London, where they took family photos that were released for the youngster’s birthday on July 22.

In the snaps, taken by John Stillwell, Prince George sported blue and white overalls as he checked out the fluttering insects with his parents. At one point, George sat on mom Kate’s lap as he seemed interested in a butterfly that landed on dad William’s hand.

Another photo showed that George was walking around the exhibit unaided!

Stillwell told PEOPLE at the time that Prince George was “fascinated to see them fly but a little scared when they got a bit close to him.”

Stillwell added, “As anybody with a young toddler would be, they were very proud parents. They were very relaxed and were happy to be there, showing him around. They were showing him things, pointing things out. What stands out is how relaxed they are when they are doing something like that. There are no airs and graces.”

Sir Michael Dixon, Director of the Natural History Museum, called hosting the family “a real pleasure.”

“They seemed to enjoy their visit, wandering through the tropical plants as brightly colored butterflies took flight around them,” he said. “It was delightful to see Prince George’s first experience of the Natural History Museum, and I look forward to welcoming them again in the future.”

Prince William and Princess Kate now have three children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, 7 — and they traditionally release a new portrait of them for each birthday. A new photo of Prince George is expected next week when he turns 12 on July 22.

The milestone birthday may also trigger a change in royal protocol. Prince George is second in the line of succession to the throne behind his father, and in the past, royal heirs have stopped traveling by plane together at that age. The rule is an effort to secure the future of the monarchy should a tragic accident occur.

King Charles’ former pilot, Graham Laurie, previously said that Prince William stopped flying with his father after his 12th birthday.

 Laurie said on A Right Royal Podcast in 2023, “Interestingly, we flew all four: the Prince [Charles], the Princess [Diana], Prince William and Prince Harry, up until Prince William was 12 years old. After that, he had to have a separate aircraft, and we could only fly all four together when they were young with the written permission of Her Majesty,” referring to then-monarch Queen Elizabeth.”

It’s unclear if Prince William and Princess Kate will follow the travel rule. They have previously ditched tradition when it comes to certain elements of raising their kids, determined to give them a normal childhood despite their royal status.

The late Queen Elizabeth reportedly voiced her concerns about Prince William piloting helicopters with his family onboard during her life. According to a 2021 report by The Sun on Sunday, the Queen was kept awake at night with worry over her grandson’s habit of flying helicopters, despite his training with the Royal Air Force.

“She knows William is a capable pilot but does not think it is worth the risk for all five of them to carry on flying together, and can’t imagine what would happen. It would spark a constitutional crisis,” the article said.

The next person in the line of succession to the throne after Prince William’s three children is Prince Harry. The Duke of Sussex, 40, stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and relocated to California with his wife, Meghan Markle, and their two children.

This year marks Prince George’s last year at Lambrook School, and it’s believed that he will follow in dad Prince William’s footsteps at the Prince of Wales’ alma mater, Eton College, come 2026.

After the Prince and Princess of Wales explored a variety of options for their eldest son, a source recently told the Mail on Sunday that “all roads lead to Eton.”

Insiders say there’s a “smugness” about the pending announcement from the prestigious boys-only school, according to the report: “It was like: ‘I know something, and the people at Eton know something, but I’m not going to tell you.’ ”

Princess Diana’s Niece Lady Kitty Spencer Adorably Twins with Daughter, 2, in Italian Vacation Photos

Lady Kitty Spencer had a matching moment with her 2-year-old daughter, Athena, on a family vacation.

Although Princess Diana‘s niece usually keeps her young child out of the public eye, she shared rare photos of Athena — always concealing her face from the camera — in a July 24 Instagram post sharing highlights from their visit to Italy.

“Under the Tuscan sun,” Lady Kitty, 34, captioned the post, containing numerous photos from the getaway.

The first set of snaps showed the mom and daughter twinning in purple and white dresses by Dolce & Gabbana, for which Kitty serves as a global brand ambassador.

Lady Kitty’s Majolica Print Poplin Dress, which retails for $1,995, perfectly paired with the mini version of the ensemble, available for $845, worn by Athena. They wore the coordinating outfits as they checked out the Leaning Tower of Pisa, took a ride on a carousel and checked out a car that matched their ensembles!

“Purple is Athena’s favourite colour at the moment, so the Fiat 500 was a hit!” Lady Kitty wrote.

Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

Other photos showed the mother and daughter wearing different styles — Lady Kitty in a strapless floral print dress while Athena wore a red dress with a white hat — as they took in some scenic outdoor settings.

Lady Kitty — the eldest daughter of Princess Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer — was born in the U.K. and grew up in South Africa, but she has a special connection to Italy. She wed fashion mogul Michael Lewis in Frascati, Italy, in 2021.

Kitty announced that she was a mom in March 2024 on U.K. Mother’s Day, sharing a photo with Athena on Instagram. She wrote, “It’s the joy of my life to be your mummy, little one. I love you unconditionally.”

In a social media post celebrating Athena’s second birthday in April, Lady Kitty wrote, “Two years of you lighting up our world, my darling Athena. You are sunshine and joy and all things magic. My little girl forever. How proud I am to be your mummy. I love you more than you could ever imagine or I could ever articulate.”

In an interview with Tatler from earlier this year, Lady Kitty described her daughter as a “little Taurus” who is “very outdoorsy and like a little spinning top.”

Lady Kitty added that Athena is “very similar” to her twin sisters, Lady Amelia and Lady Eliza.

“It’s so funny…so cool for her when she has these two aunts that come bursting through the door,” Kitty said. “I don’t think she thinks there’s an age gap.”

Prince William, Princess Kate holiday in Greece with family aboard Emirati Royal’s $450 million superyacht

The Prince and Princess of Wales are on a luxury holiday in Greece with their children and Kate’s parents. They are aboard the $450 million superyacht Opera, owned by a UAE royal, enjoying a rare moment of relaxation amid their busy schedules.

The Prince and Princess of Wales are currently enjoying a luxurious holiday in Greece, accompanied by their three children and Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael Middleton.

According to Greek media reports, the royal family is cruising around the Ionian Sea aboard a $450 million superyacht belonging to a member of the Emirati royal family.

Prince William, Princess Kate Holiday in Greece Aboard $450 Million Emirati Superyacht
Local news outlet Enikos reported that Prince William, Kate, and their family arrived in Greece shortly after their last public appearance at Wimbledon on July 12. Travelling by private jet, they landed at Kefalonia airport and were swiftly transported in a luxury van to the yacht, where they boarded discreetly.

The vessel, identified as the Opera, was spotted docked at the Ionian island of Kefalonia. The yacht is owned by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a prominent member of the UAE royal family. He is the ninth son of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder of the United Arab Emirates, and currently serves as one of the UAE’s four deputy prime ministers.

Built by the renowned German shipyard Lürssen, Opera is a 146-metre mega yacht delivered in February 2023. The superyacht boasts ultra-luxury features, including two helipads, a large swimming pool, a state-of-the-art gym, and a beach club. Its size and amenities place it among the most opulent private vessels in the world.

While the British royals have remained tight-lipped about the trip, images of the yacht in port and tracking data from luxury vessel monitoring sites have confirmed their presence in the region.

This private getaway offers a rare moment of relaxation for the royal family, who are known for their tightly packed schedules and public commitments. The holiday has attracted widespread attention, highlighting the enduring fascination with royal life and the global connections that often come with it.