Us Weekly has a curious exclusive about the July 10th Highgrove Summit, where the Duke and Duchess of Sussex brought their children Archie and Lili to Highgrove, to see King Charles and Queen Camilla. We’ve heard that Charles only informed Camilla of the meeting last-minute, and she had to drive from Ray Mill to Highgrove quite quickly. We’ve also heard that the Daily Mail was staked outside Highgrove and they’re very mad that they didn’t get any photos of Meghan and the children. Suffice to say, Camilla is clearly briefing her media allies. I also think Prince William and his office are doing a lot to sow chaos in the reporting around the Highgrove Summit for their own angry-egg reasons. So, let me know who is behind this story, because I think it’s a mixture of palace briefings. Some highlights from Us Weekly:
The Highgrove Summit: According to a source, details of the meeting were carefully planned in advance, with privacy being a top priority. “The staff [at Highgrove] was dismissed before Harry and Meghan and the kids arrived,” reveals the source, noting that only a couple of Charles and Camilla’s closest aides were allowed to remain. “Details were kept under wraps. They didn’t want anything to get out.”
Off limits: The gathering was more low-key family get-together than official sit-down. “Certain topics were off limits,” says the source. “They [all] agreed beforehand that they would not discuss any topics making headlines in the press,” adds the source, “including the court case.”
The main focus was Archie and Lilibet. “The king and queen wanted personal time with their grandchildren, and they wanted it to be lighthearted and positive,” the source reveals. “The point of the meeting was to spend time with them, and that was the only thing on the agenda,” adds the source, noting that having Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, in attendance was a nonnegotiable. Charles and Camilla, 79, “would only agree to the meeting if the kids were coming.”
How Harry wasn’t allowed to stay at Buckingham Palace: “Everything the Palace does is planned at least two months in advance,” says the source. “There’s no way they could plan for a guest last minute, and Harry knows that.”
The lack of security for the Sussexes: “[King Charles] has to walk a very fine line,” says the source. “He is Harry’s father and would like to do almost anything to make his son feel comfortable. But as king, he knows even the appearance of influencing security decisions could create political controversy. He sees himself as protecting the family and the crown, but those two goals don’t always align.”
Cautious, scaredy-cat William: Harry’s estranged brother, Prince William, was watching how things played out during the Sussexes’ time in the U.K. Though they were separated by roughly 12 miles at one point — on July 7, Harry attended an Invictus event at Chatham House in London around the same time as William visited The London Welsh School in Hanwell, West London — the siblings did not interact. “William has become cautious,” says the source, adding that rebuilding trust between the brothers is going to require more than a simple conversation.
Kate appreciates that Archie & Lili were in the UK: Still, the source says William and his wife, Princess Kate, both 44, appreciated Meghan’s gesture to bring the kids to meet with Charles. “Kate values harmony, but she also supports where William is emotionally,” shares the source. “She would love for things to come together and be repaired, but will support William and his timeline.”
A very Sussex Christmas?? Given that things went well with Charles and Camilla, there is a chance Harry and Meghan could score an invitation to the royal family’s holiday celebrations. “That idea has been floated as a possibility, so that William and Kate and their kids could see them at the next visit,” says the source. But it remains to be seen whether Harry and William can make progress. “There’s still a lot of hurt, and it’s going to take time to heal,” notes the source. “Meetings can be reassuring, but they won’t change things too dramatically. The relationship between Harry and William will never be what it used to be.”
“The king and queen wanted personal time with their grandchildren…” If this side chick doesn’t get out of my face, I’m going to scream. Camilla is NOT Archie and Lili’s grandmother. They are not HER grandkids. Camilla has no real connection to the Sussexes other than her years-long campaign to disrupt her husband’s relationships with his sons and their children. Camilla has always been a snake in the grass.
Meanwhile, all of the stuff about William and Kate is… interesting, I guess. One might even say that Kate lets William’s incandescent anger lead the way. “Kate values harmony, but she also supports where William is emotionally.” But I thought Kate was angry too? Something something Netflix! Lip gloss! Hugging! Baby brain! How dare Meghan! “The relationship between Harry and William will never be what it used to be.” Well, William physically assaulted Harry, so one would hope that things have changed since then.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
