After years of tense silences, cold stares at public events, and more than one incendiary interview, everything seems to indicate that... Finally, someone has broken the ice! And no, it wasn't during a fully formal royal meeting, but rather a discreet (but highly symbolic) chat between advisors to Prince Harry and King Charles III, according to People magazine.

The clearest sign that the father-son relationship could be coming out of the cold came on July 9, when Meredith Maines chief of staff and communications director for the Duke of Sussex flew from Montecito to London and was seen meeting with Tobyn Andreae, communications secretary to King Charles, and Liam Maguire, British press secretary for Harry and Meghan Markle.

According to reports, they met at The Royal Over-Seas League, a private club just steps from Clarence House. From a press perspective, there's nothing better than a British cafe to discuss family tensions.

A meeting without an agenda

According to sources close to the event, the meeting didn't have a formal agenda, but served as an initial meeting. Or, in diplomatic terms: “There were issues that both sides wanted to address.” In other words, it wasn’t exactly a climate talk.

Although this meeting was not officially announced, and both Buckingham Palace and spokespersons for the Sussexes preferred to maintain the mystery, the encounter comes at a key moment: weeks after Harry confessed to the BBC that he “would love to reconcile with his family” and that “there’s no point in continuing to fight.”

And since Harry and Meghan left their royal roles in 2020 and started their new life in California, things have been far from harmonious. The interviews with Oprah, the Netflix docuseries, and the explosive book Spare did not help calm the waters. But, perhaps, this new meeting represents a reset between father and son.

What is certain is that the meeting in London is part of a working tour by Maines, who was in the city to coordinate communications and sponsorship issues for the Duke. Although it wasn't officially a "reconciliation meeting," the gesture certainly didn't go unnoticed.

The next step? Rumor has it that Harry might invite King Charles and Prince William to the Invictus Games in the United Kingdom. Will this be the opportunity for a face-to-face meeting? Time will tell, but for now, at least someone has dared to send the first WhatsApp message.