Prince William was not invited to the secet summit between Prince Harry and King Charles’ representatives.
13:45 ET, 20 Jul 2025Updated 13:45 ET, 20 Jul 2025
William may be the heir, but Charles is the reigning monach, and he makes the final decision, says royal expert (Image: Chris Jackson, Getty Images)
The world is in a tizzy over a meeting between Prince Harry and King Charles’s reps, but there was one major presence missing from the sit-down.
Prince William wasn’t represented, and there’s a reason why, says one royal expert.
Ian Pelham-Turner, a former royal photographer, spoke to Fox News as to why William wasn’t invited to the summit. According to Pelham-Turner, William not being invited sends a clear message from the patriarch of the family, is the person who calls the shots.
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Pelham-Turner said: “The important issue is that Prince William and his representatives were not invited.”
He explained: “I feel that this was a warning shot across William’s bows that Charles is king – not him. It may also be a stark warning that Charles will decide what happens during his reign, not William.”
The Sussexes have been at war with the Royal Family for a while, and it’s being said both sides would like to call a truce
Pelham-Turner, a well-known TV presenter in the UK, started off his career as a commissioned royal photographer.
In those early days, he spent a lot of time at the palace, invited to photograph the Royal Family. His first assignment was to photograph William’s first Christmas with Princess Diana and the then-Prince Charles.
At the time, Pelham-Turner picked up on Charles’ jealous of Diana, that he was not happy his son preferred his mother over him.
Pelham-Turner spent time at the palace as a royal photographer
Pelham-Turner considers the informal meeting to be “a sign from King Charles” that he “wants peace” with Harry and Meghan and get to know his American grandchildren.
The meeting is considered a step in the right direction by numerous commentators.
Speaking exclusively to Daily Express US, Pelham-Turner said the rift with the Sussexes “will go on as long as the Palace wants it to.”
He explained: “I think, personally, that it’s the Palace behind all of this rhetoric that is coming from all of these so-called ‘close associates.’”
There’s been talk that the recent meeting may be followed by an in-person meeting between Harry and Charles, which could happen in September with Harry scheduled to be in the UK for the WellChild Awards.
Nothing has been confirmed, but Harry and Meghan fans have a “quiet hope” that there is a reconciliation in the works, according to Emma Fabiani, who runs a Meghan Markle fanpage, which has amassed over 800,000 followers in just a few years.