Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have found themselves once again at the center of a royal media storm—this time over a quietly arranged meeting that was never meant to be made public.

On Wednesday, two of the couple’s top communications officials, Meredith Maines and Liam Maguire, were seen meeting with Tobyn Andreae, the King’s communications secretary, at a private London club near Clarence House. The Royal Over-Seas League, a members-only institution that ironically champions international unity, served as the backdrop for the discreet gathering.

Images of the three chatting over drinks on a sunlit garden terrace quickly surfaced in the Mail on Sunday, prompting a flurry of speculation about what the meeting might mean for relations between Harry and his father. Despite reports suggesting the encounter could signal the start of a royal reconciliation, the Sussexes have been left frustrated—not over the talks themselves, but by how publicly they’ve been exposed.

According to sources close to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the couple was not behind the leak. In fact, they reportedly see the media attention as jeopardizing what was supposed to be a sensitive and informal step toward healing. The Telegraph noted that Harry and Meghan had hoped to quietly open a new chapter with the royal household, but now feel blindsided by the coverage.

Though the images painted a calm, almost hopeful scene—Maines arriving with a Louis Vuitton bag, Andreae bearing a gift box from royal wine supplier Berry Bros & Rudd—those close to the situation say the Sussexes are not celebrating. They view the leak as a breach of trust at a time when both Harry and King Charles are said to be genuinely interested in repairing their bond, especially in light of the King’s recent cancer diagnosis.

No one has confirmed who initiated the meeting, whether it was the monarch or his estranged younger son. Still, it’s clear the encounter held significance. A source close to the King described it as “a meaningful first step,” adding that it could lead to further conversations and, perhaps, a long-awaited thaw in family relations. “There’s now a line of communication open that hasn’t been there in years,” the source told The Mail on Sunday. “That alone is progress.”