Will King’s new Mr Nice Guy be the man to heal the rift between Wills and Harry?
One of the King’s newest and most trusted aides has vowed to mend the rift between Prince William and Harry to save the monarch from further ‘great pain’.
Former diplomat Theo Rycroft, who became the King’s assistant private secretary in February, is understood to have made it his ‘number one mission’ and career goal to reunite the pair, who have not spoken since Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in 2022.
Sources say Mr Rycroft, who is married to Samantha Cameron’s half-sister Flora Astor, believes the situation has become ‘absurd’ and is keen to resolve it ‘urgently’ for the King’s sake.
A source said: ‘He thinks it’s time to put our heads together. The mood is: “He’s not at fault.”
‘Theo is a very reasonable man and an incredibly good man and is fully aware that this is a source of great pain for the King and wants to help him resolve it.
‘He sees his job as helping the King solve this problem.’
His determination comes amid speculation that the King could meet Harry when he flies to England from his home in California in July to help prepare for the Invictus Games in Birmingham next year.
But whether Mr. Rycroft can persuade William to also meet his brother may be a difficult task.
Prince William has allegedly banned Prince Harry from being remembered in his presence following damaging revelations in his memoir about Spare and the Sussexes’ departure from royal life.
Former diplomat Theo Rycroft, who became the King’s assistant private secretary in February, is understood to have made it his ‘number one mission’ and career goal to reunite the pair
William is alleged to have banned Harry from being mentioned in his presence after Spare and the Sussexes made damaging comments in an Oprah Winfrey interview accusing an unnamed royal of racism in his departure from royal life.
Mr. Rycroft’s friends say that he quickly gained influence within the King’s inner circle; this is due not only to his corporate connections but also to his reputation as a calm and politically astute operator with a knack for dealing with difficult personalities and sensitive situations; These skills can come in handy when trying to reunite warring siblings.
His credentials are strong. An Oxford-educated lawyer and career diplomat, Mr Rycroft joined the Foreign Office in 2005 and has held a number of senior international roles.
These include legal advisor to the Prime Minister, head of international law at the Attorney General’s Office and later deputy head of mission at the British Embassy in Paris.
Most importantly, she is close to William. During his time in Paris, he worked closely with William on many high-profile international events, including the Prince of Wales’s highly scrutinized trip for the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral, where William met Donald Trump.
Palace staff say Mr Rycroft impressed Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace with his handling of the visit and the King and Queen’s visit to the US last month, admiring his ability to bridge diplomatic sensitivities between Mr Trump and the climate campaigning King.
An insider said: ‘Theo believes Harry and William should be forced to shake hands and allow Charles to repair his relationship with Harry.’
The source adds: ‘I would be very surprised if Harry doesn’t get to see Charles while he’s in England.
‘Theo cannot be one of the many aides trying to prevent a meeting at the palace.
‘But even though he’s outnumbered, after his visit to the US, he’s the most respected man in the building right now.’
It’s unclear whether Harry will bring Meghan and their children Archie (aged seven and four) Lilibet to the UK in July.
Doing this will depend on the Home Office providing police protection for his family, which is still being reviewed.
