Last Friday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, along with their children Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, reunited with the 77-year-old and his wife, Queen Camilla, 78, at Highgrove House, marking the first time the family had spent time with the monarch and his wife in four years.
Buckingham Palace described the meeting as a “private family occasion” and it is reported that there will be no publicly released images of the meeting.
Now, a public relations specialist has weighed in on the long-awaited reunion and detailed the steps Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, should take to ensure any type of goodwill they have earned doesn’t “disappear”.
“I think we’re all naturally curious. Family reconciliation is always a compelling story,” Renae Smith, founder of PR and branding agency The Atticism, told the Daily Express.
The expert then gave the Sussexes a three-word warning following the meeting: “Say absolutely nothing.”
“Don’t do interviews about it. Don’t hint about whether it was warm or awkward. Don’t reference private conversations on podcasts,” she said.
Smith stressed that King Charles and Queen Camilla should “lead the narrative” if they choose to, which she adds is probably not likely.
“The moment private family conversations become public content, any goodwill generated by that meeting disappears,” she stated.
Speaking to Harry and Meghan, she noted that silence “actually speaks volumes” in this scenario and would show that the family has “a genuine desire” to rebuild relationships.
While little is known about the private meeting between the monarch and the Sussexes, an insider revealed that Archie and Lilibet were left “awestruck by everything they witnessed” during the reunion.
“It has really opened the door for Harry to tell them more about their heritage and what it means to be a part of the monarchy,” the source told Woman’s Day.
The publication adds that the Duke of Sussex is “thrilled” that he can start having conversations with his kids about their royal background.
“He’s not bombarding them with too much information but he does want them to appreciate their lineage and what it means to be in the line of succession, that it’s something they can be proud of,” the source revealed.
However, Woman’s Day claims that Harry and Meghan are under “no illusions” that the reunion with the King would have happened if he hadn’t been “so desperate” to see his grandkids.
“It really can’t be overstated how integral Archie and Lili are when it comes to forging a path forward with the King and the rest of the royal family.”