What Happened During Meghan Markle & King Charles’ Meeting?

After all the back and forth about whether Megan Markle and Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet would even be joining Harry on his UK trip and meeting with King Charles, the reunion actually happened. Prince Harry did not travel to the UK alone, and he and his family met the monarch for a private reunion.

So now the narrative has shifted to the Sussexes not being interested in a meeting, but a picture. Hollywood insider Rob Shuter’s Naughty But Nice reported from sources, “The meeting was valuable, but the photograph was the prize,” adding that, “Meghan understands the power of imagery better than almost anyone. A single picture with the King would have reminded the world that she and Harry are still royalty. That’s branding gold.”

Related: Here’s what each royal inherited from Queen Elizabeth

It’s important to remember that just a few days ago the official line was that a meeting would not be happening, so every conflicting report should probably be taken with a grain of salt as we wait to see what King Charles and Prince Harry will have to say about it.

“This wasn’t about family,” Shuter’s insider said. “It was about access. Royal association remains their most valuable asset. A smiling photograph with the King would have instantly reset the narrative, reinforced their status, and reminded everyone that they still belong in the royal conversation.”

When Prince Harry met the King in September last year, there was also no official photograph.

“The Palace knew the value of that photograph,” the insider added. “It would have been used for years as proof of reconciliation and royal endorsement. The meeting happened. The picture didn’t.”

Shuter is also reporting that despite the fact that the relationship between Charles and Harry seems much improved, this isn’t as good a sign as it seems. “This wasn’t a surrender—it was a grandfather wanting to see his grandchildren,” one palace insider told the gossip columnist. “People are confusing compassion with capitulation.”

The Hollywood insider points out that Harry’s role hasn’t been restored, there were no public images released or joint statement. But there’s no indication Prince Harry wanted that, either. He’d been open about his desire for reconciliation, not for a return to the royal family. He and Markle have settled in California with their two kids after stepping down as senior royals.

“If Buckingham Palace wanted the world to see this as a reconciliation, there would have been a picture,” another source told the outlet. “The fact there wasn’t tells you everything you need to know.”

“The institution didn’t blink,” one royal insider said. “Charles acted as a father and a grandfather, not as the head of the monarchy negotiating terms.”

It’s hard to tell what each party wanted and what they got out of it, but one thing is for sure: if this meeting could happen despite what everyone said right before it, and the narrative that emerged after Harry’s last meeting with his father Charles, it’s probably safe to say that we really don’t know all that much about what’s going on behind the scenes. And that, in turn, just makes people more interested in if the members of this family actually get along or not.

Family drama. Not even royals can escape it.