Prince Harry and King Charles reunited this week for the first time in 19 months, sharing a private tea at Clarence House. But insiders say the meeting may never have happened without the influence of one of the King’s most trusted new allies – Theo Rycroft.
Harry reportedly spent less than an hour with his father on Wednesday before leaving to attend evening engagements. While both sides confirmed the meeting took place, no details of their conversation were released. Still, the encounter has raised hopes of a possible reconciliation between father and son.
According to royal insiders, Rycroft, King Charles’s recently appointed deputy private secretary, played a crucial role in making the meeting possible. A former diplomat with extensive experience in Paris, Rycroft took up the palace role in February, working alongside the King’s long-standing private secretary, Sir Clive Alderton.
While Alderton, nicknamed “the Wasp” by Prince Harry in his memoir Spare is known for his sharp and uncompromising approach, Rycroft has developed a reputation for being softer and more diplomatic. His calm style, sources suggest, may have helped bridge tensions between the monarch and his estranged son.
Rycroft has already become a familiar presence alongside the royals, having joined King Charles and Queen Camilla on their trip to Italy earlier this year and accompanied Prince William in France during the reopening of Notre Dame. His diplomatic background is extensive:
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British Embassy in Paris (2021–2025): Minister and Deputy Head of Mission.
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FCDO in London: EU Director and previously Head of the EU Exit Strategy Department.
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No10 Downing Street (until 2017): Legal Adviser to the Prime Minister.
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Attorney General’s Office: Head of International and EU Law.
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UK Mission to the UN (2011–2014): Counsellor.
Earlier in his career, Rycroft worked as a solicitor in commercial litigation before moving into national security litigation at the Treasury Solicitor’s Department.
Beyond his career, Rycroft is connected to one of Britain’s most prominent families through his wife, Hon. Flora Astor, a descendant of the famous Astor family. Flora is also the half-sister of Samantha Cameron, wife of former Prime Minister David (now Lord) Cameron.
With his impressive track record and family ties, Rycroft’s arrival at the palace is seen as both strategic and timely. And, if reports are to be believed, he may already have played a pivotal role in easing one of the monarchy’s most strained relationships.
