A story appeared in the Mail on Sunday over the weekend that seemed to suggest a new direction, speaking of talks of a “public show of unity” between father and son.

The Duke of Sussex and his father have been estranged for much of the last couple of years following a series of family rifts as well as a legal battle, which Harry lost, over the removal of the security for him, Meghan Markle and their children.

But on Sept. 10, in a sign of an easing in relations, Prince Harry had his first face-to-face meeting with his father in 19 months over tea at Clarence House in London. It only lasted around 50 minutes, but it was hailed by most close observers as a positive development. “It’s a massive step in the right direction,” Queen Elizabeth’s former press secretary Ailsa Anderson told PEOPLE following the historic meeting. “It’s a building of trust.”

Harry was in the U.K. for a series of charity appearances in London and Nottingham, where he was largely well-received.

Harry has made no secret of his wish to spend more time in the U.K. and bring his family. However, he is not seeking a change to the arrangement over any royal work, as was agreed when he and Meghan left the working royal family in 2020, and he hasn’t asked his father for it, PEOPLE understands. When they stepped back, the Duke and Duchess gave up most of their links to royal charities, and Harry had to relinquish his official military affiliations.

A spokesman for Harry reiterates to PEOPLE, “The duke has made it clear that the focus is his father. Beyond that, and on any other issues as it relates to his family, we won’t be commenting.”

Moreover, palace sources have told PEOPLE that there is no change to the position laid out at the so-called Sandringham summit, led by the late Queen Elizabeth in 2020.

A widely-quoted royal source in the U.K. papers added, “The King has been absolutely clear in upholding his late mother’s decision that there can be no ‘half-in, half-out’ public role for members of the family.”

Harry — who stepped out with Meghan, 44, on Sept. 20 for the One805LIVE! concert, which supports Santa Barbara County’s first responders and was held at Kevin Costner‘s oceanside estate in California — is, however, hoping to spend more time in the U.K. and does harbor hopes of being able to bring his family over from California and especially introduce his children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4, to Britain.

Just a few days after meeting his father, Harry made a surprise visit to Kyiv, Ukraine, with his Invictus Games Foundation and spoke with The Guardian while there.

“The focus really has to be on my dad,” he said, while also acknowledging his past revelations in interviews and his memoir Spare. “My conscience is clear.”

When asked if he will ever bring his children to the U.K. despite his security concerns, Harry told the outlet, “Yes, I would. This week has definitely brought that closer.”

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!

He also visited the grieving Duke of Kent at Kensington Palace during his London trip. The Duke of Kent is mourning his wife, Katharine, the Duchess of Kent, who died on Sept. 4 at the age of 92.

Meghan Markle Trolled Over ‘Needy And Clingy’ PDA With Prince Harry During Festival Appearance

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry recently surprised guests at Kevin Costner‘s One805LIVE! Festival in Santa Barbara.

At the event, the Duchess of Sussex’s affectionate display toward her husband drew mixed reactions online, with some branding the royal as “clingy.”

The couple’s appearance came weeks after Prince Harry’s 50-minute meeting with King Charles, their first in 18 months, sparking hopes of reconciliation.

Meghan Markle And Prince Harry Criticized For PDA at Star-Studded Charity Festival

Meghan and Harry shocked many when they made a joint appearance at One805LIVE! Festival in Santa Barbara on Saturday, an event hosted by Hollywood star Kevin Costner, and attended by numerous celebrities.

Harry took the stage to present the Heart of Community Award, while Meghan stayed close, holding onto his jacket and wrapping her arms around him.

The affectionate moment drew attention online with royal fans labelling Meghan as “needy and clingy.”

One X user commented, “Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are so codependent on each other it’s vomit-inducing. Will the sun crash into the Earth if they’re not touching every millisecond?”

Another said, “I don’t know how Harry stands it! She literally hangs off him all the time.”

Others defended the Duchess, saying, “There is nothing wrong with Meghan. Their intimacy and love for each other are clear to see. Nothing needy and clingy about that.”

Despite the reactions, the couple appeared happy and relaxed, mingling with guests, including Oprah Winfrey, at Costner’s oceanside estate.

Meghan Markle Dazzles In Caroline Herrera At Charity Concert Supporting First Responders

For the event, Meghan turned heads in a chic midnight blue Caroline Herrera halterneck dress, featuring a collared neckline, tortoiseshell buttons, and a waist-cinching sash.

The As Ever founder accessorized with a two-tone brown clutch from Hunting Season New York and suede Ralph Lauren heels in a matching hue. She also switched up her usual center-parted waves for a side part and more defined, voluminous curls.

Adding a touch of personal significance, Meghan wore her Cartier Love bangle, a piece she’s owned since at least 2017, alongside her late mother-in-law Princess Diana’s gold Cartier Tank watch.

The event itself is an “annual benefit concert, bringing together legendary artists and passionate supporters to raise funds for essential equipment and mental wellness programs for Santa Barbara County’s first responders.”

Performances included artists such as Trisha Yearwood, Good Charlotte, and The Fray.

Prince Harry And King Charles Reunite After 18 Months, Sparking Hopes Of Royal Reconciliation

Harry and Meghan’s latest appearance comes just weeks after Harry met with his father, King Charles, for their first face-to-face meeting in 18 months.

The 50-minute meeting at Clarence House reportedly marked the beginning of high-level talks about gradually bringing father and son together in a public display of unity for the first time in at least six years.

The last time the father and son appeared together at an official engagement was in April 2019, at the “Our Planet” global premiere held at London’s Natural History Museum.

Since stepping back from royal duties in 2020, Harry has only been photographed with other family members at the funerals of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth.

The Meeting Between The King And The Duke Was Labeled A ‘Good Starting Point’

Royal observers suggest that a joint public appearance with Charles would represent a significant thaw in their relationship.

Experts also claim it could signal the reintegration of the Sussexes and their children, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four, into royal life.

“It shows the way forward,” one royal insider with ties to both camps told People Magazine of the September 10 meeting at Clarence House.

“It is a good starting point.” Meanwhile, another source told Us Weekly the meeting was “super positive,” describing it as “very relaxed” and “very emotional.”

Prince Harry Reportedly Rules Out Return To Royal Duties, Focuses On Rebuilding Ties With King Charles

Following the Clarence House reunion, some Royal watchers speculated that Harry might be pushing for a partial return to official duties for himself and Meghan.

However, People reports that the prince “is not seeking a change to the arrangement over any royal work” and “hasn’t asked his father for it.”

According to The Times, the stance is mutual. Charles has no plans to revisit the late Queen Elizabeth’s decision, which made clear there could be no “half-in, half-out” roles within the monarchy.

“The King has been absolutely clear in upholding his late mother’s decision that there can be no ‘half-in, half-out’ public role for members of the family,” a source told the outlet.

Prince Harry and King Charles reconciling? Their feud was the only relatable thing about them

Prince Harry and King Charles reconciling? Their feud was the only relatable thing about them

Ironic, really, that something so quintessentially British could be such bad news for the UK. King Charles and Prince Harry met for a cup of tea on Wednesday, and that’s absolutely terrible for the monarchy. The family feud has been their most relatable content in years.

This sign that a reconciliation is under way might be heartwarming on a human level, but aren’t the royals supposed to be focused on duty and sacrifice? In a world of “compare and despair” thinking, many were grateful for the opportunity to “compare and say: oh yeah” instead. Every family has its issues, and you could feel better about yours knowing that no one is immune. Also, let’s be honest, there has been a sliver of schadenfreude too, not to mention comfort in the idea that at least we’re not that bad. Even our most challenging relative is unlikely to have published a tell-all book full of varying recollections, or slagged us off to Oprah.

However much you sympathise with the royal family – the obligation, the pressure, the endless debate over their new hair colour – the OG nepo babies have it pretty sweet in one respect. Shaking hands and cutting ribbons may not have been the career path they would have pursued if they’d had a choice, and presumably it gets old quite quickly, but it’s hardly difficult or exhausting work. And in return, they reside in palaces, are waited on by servants, and enjoy job security till death do them part. They will never have any money worries, for even a millisecond. The women are required to endure the horror of nude tights at engagements, but still, worth it on balance.

As the rest of us struggle with the stress and anxiety of the cost of living crisis and ever-increasing prices across the board, maybe the disparity of their luxurious lives would have become unbearable if it weren’t for the royal row. Perhaps we would have rioted in the streets, demanding the monarchy be abolished. Admittedly this is doubtful – it’s not the English way to make a fuss – but impossible to say for sure. The family feud proved to be the great leveller. A fallout, a fight, some bad – albeit blue – blood. It showed that the myth of the perfect family was just that, and made it clear money cannot buy happiness, or peace.

The War of the Windsors also gave everybody a topic on which to wax lyrical over the back fence – a way to connect at a time when so many people feel entirely disconnected from their communities. Everyone had an opinion on it, so was a guaranteed conversation starter, and something that could rescue almost all uncomfortable silences.

 

This was a clean-cut quarrel: although the more understanding among us may have been able to see both sides, people were usually either Team Harry or Team The Rest of Them, which makes for a more impassioned discussion. Psychologists believe that gossip is one of the most important mechanisms for group bonding – so our near-constant speculation over the goings-on between the royals may well have healed – or begun to, at least – similar rifts in other families.

Anybody battling the logistical nightmare of putting together a noncontroversial table plan for a gathering could console themselves with the knowledge that this probably happened at Sandringham too. It can feel like a failing if your nearest aren’t necessarily your dearest. Reassurance that it’s commonplace, ordinary, nothing to be ashamed of, is welcome, no matter the source.

Harry kept stumm about his cuppa with Charles for the rest of his time in London, and during a surprise visit to Kyiv, his silence apparently a condition the king insisted on if they are to stay in touch. But even if the Windsors do reunite, we will always have “Megxit”. If relations between your relations are at an all-time low, and you’re forced together for a three-line whip event such as a celebration or commiseration, just the memory of Megxit can make you thankful for small mercies.

Added to the best-known royal images over the years, along with the balcony kisses and coronations, is the picture of William, Kate, Harry and Meghan making that public appearance at Windsor Castle after the queen’s death. As they took the long, visibly painfully awkward walk down the drive to survey the floral tributes, their every move and micro-expression were filmed, photographed, analysed by commentators, body language experts, the world. If they can survive that, you can make it through Christmas dinner, no problem.